Salad Nicoise is a French composed salad and a gift from the treasures in Nice France. Some history buffs suggest choreographer George Balanchine was instrumental in its development, while others credit the housewives of the Nice area. Legendary female chef Julia Child made it popular in America, her version containing controversial lettuce leaves and potatoes. It is a perfect summer lunch dish but is very flavorful and is wonderful any time of year.
Mandatory ingredients for the salad call for Tuna, Tomatoes, Beans (green beans, fava or white beans), hard boiled eggs, capers, anchovy and a garlicky Dijon mustard dressing. The potatoes and bed of lettuce leaves on the bottom are a matter of choice or regional interpretations.
Searing the tuna is a nice alternative to the normaly called for olive oil marinated canned tuna. When pan searing; bring oil to almost the smoking point in a heavy bottomed skillet or cast iron pan. Being careful to just color the outside of the tuna nicely, while keeping the red color and juices intact in the center. For rare cooked tuna, always find a top quality product from approved seafood vendors as most varieties are very perishable.
For the Salad:
- 1 Russet Potato, washed and sliced in circles
- 2 each eggs
- ¼ pound green beans, ends trimmed (baby Haricot Vert if available)
- 8 ounces fresh sushi grade tuna
- 2 each tomatoes quartered ( or equivalent amount cherry tomatoes)
- 1 cup nicoise or kalamata olives, pitted
- 4 anchovy fillets
- Salt and Black Peppercorns
- Olive oil for searing
Salad Dressing:
- 1 teaspoon garlic, chopped
- 1 anchovy filet, minced
- ½ teaspoon capers
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon or Whole Grain mustard
- 1`tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon caper brine
- 1 tablespoons chopped chive or parsley
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup olive oil
Method:
- Cook the potato slices and green beans in boiling salted water until still firm to the bite, drain and reserve. (Seperately)
- Hard cook the eggs; cover tghe eggs with water, bring to a boil, shut off heat and let sit in warm water for 12 minutes.
- Pulse the peppercorns in a spice grinder or crush with the bottom of a small skillet.
- To make the dressing combine the garlic, minced anchovy, capers, mustard, caper brine, vinegar and herbs and slowly whisk in the olive oil. Season wiuth pepper and salt if needed
- Serason Tuna with salt and roll in crushed peppercorns. Bring oil to almost the smoking pooint in a skillet and char the tuna on all sides, leaving the middle nicxe and rare.
- Cut the hard cooked eggs into wedges.
- Add the dressing to the potatoes, beans, tomatoes and olives, mound in the s\center of the serving plate(s).
- Slice tuna into thin slices and place decoratively on the plate with the egg wedges.
- Lay the remaining anchovy filets on top and any remaining dressing.
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