Salad Nicoise always reminds me of a fabulous weekend break in Nice, with my then boyfriend, now husband. It was late March, but the weather was glorious, and we enjoyed a fabulous Salad Nicoise in Place Charles Felix in the wonderful old town of Nice.
It's a delicious salad that is said to have originated in Nice, and traditionally includes tomatoes, tuna and/or anchovies, hard boiled eggs and olive oil or vinaigrette.
In my version, I have also included steamed green beans and waxy potatoes, which make it a more substantial meal, but it's just as lovely without.
Serves 2 or 4 as a starter
For the salad
Bag of mixed green salad
3 eggs
6 small waxy potatoes
6 cherry tomatoes
10-14 fine green beans
Handful of nicoise or taggiasca olives
150g tin of white tuna (104g drained)
For the French vinaigrette dressing
6 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove (finely grated or crushed)
Seasoning
- Place the eggs in a pan of cold water, bring to the boil, cover and cook for 5-6 minutes. Remove from the water and place in a bowl of cold water.
- Top and tail the green beans.
- Place the potatoes and green beans in separate steamer tiers.
- Pour boiling water into a steamer pan and bring back to the boil, then cook the potatoes for 12 minutes.
- Now add a further steamer tier to the pan, containing the fine green beans. Cook for a further 8 minutes.
- Place the green beans in a bowl of cold water.
- Let the potatoes cool, and then peel (the skins should just come off using your fingers). Cut them into halves or quarters.
- Remove the shells from the eggs and cut into quarters.
- Slice the tomatoes in half.
- Drain the tuna.
- Place the salad leaves in the salad bowls or plates and top with the remaining ingredients.
- Mix the French vinaigrette ingredients together and dress the salad.
