Salade Niçoise
My bucket list is quite extensive when it comes to visiting countries. One that I would love spending a few months in is France exploring all its regions. First, I’d be landing in the Îles-de-France region which is where Paris is located. Of course, this is a foody hotspot when it comes to classic French cuisine! We can find flavorful dishes like Soupe à l’Oignon Gratinée (French Onion Soup), Blanquette de Veau, Mille-feuille, and many more. It’s definitely not a place to be on a diet!
From there, I would go to the Grand Est which is the region that wraps Alsace, Lorraine and Champagne together. Besides Quiches and obviously the best sparkling wine in the world, this region is renowned for game and ham as well as my favorite beer… Kronenbourg! At this point, there’s nothing stopping me from going across the border and exploring Germany – my husband’s roots – unless I simply go to Belgium, Luxembourg and Switzerland!
If I decide to stay in France, I’d go to Normandy which is the land of Camembert cheese, Brioche, Calvados, Andouille Sausage (yes, it originated from France not in New Orleans…), Poulet Sauté Yvetois, as well as seafood like Moules à la Normande, Coquilles St Jacques, Huîtres Chaudes au Pommeau, which are staples of this region unless I venture south and try Brittany’s oysters and lobsters. I can also enjoy some Cotriade, Crêpes or even Galettes de Sarrasin, one of my mother’s favorites.
Now heading east, we end up in Pays de la Loire and Central France to enjoy fresh fruits for breakfast, a Tourangelle Soup for lunch and freshwater fish for dinner before finishing with Tarte Tatin or a couple Macaroons… yum!
Next is Bourgogne and Franche-Comté… do I really have to spell it out – the best wine and cheese, oh my! Of course, there are other well-known dishes like Coq au Vin, Boeuf Bourguignon and Poulet de Bresse or Poulet à la Comtoise.
To the south is Auvergne and Rhône-Alpes where Lyon is located also knows as the “world capital of gastronomy” and certainly a delicious destination with their wine (Beaujolais and Rhône Valley), game, sausages, Salade Lyonnaise, fish, Raclette, Gratin Dauphinois, Escalope de Veau Belle Comtoise, etc.
South of this is Nouvelle-Aquitaine and as a wine drinker, this would be heavenly! I can just imagine sipping a nice glass of wine while spreading some foie gras on freshly baked Baguettes. Lamb, hare, pigeon and goose are other staples from this region including truffles – I don’t think I would like coming back to Canada!
And next comes the southwest of France known as the region of Occitanie. With its saucisses de Toulouse, Cassoulet, Bourride, Cargolade, etc., this is a perfect spot for a foody like me!
Next to it is Côte d’Azur where Bouillabaisse à la Marseillaise is one of the famous dishes of the region including Ratatouille, Pan Bagnat and Salade Niçoise!
From there, I’ll be jumping on a boat to go to Corsica where I can savor a nice Veau aux Olives, a Wild Boar Casserole along with a side of polenta or pasta.
Let’s go back to Côte d’Azur and its Salade Niçoise shall we!
This recipe is simply amazing! This is exactly what summer is all about; fresh and healthy with layers of yumminess! I have to be honest with the fact that there are several steps involved to achieve this incredible dish but it’s so worth it! After boiling the eggs – I prefer hard boiled over medium boiled – and potatoes, blanching some beans and marinating the red onions, the rest is easy peasy… you just need to assemble it.
A couple of points I would like to highlight is when making the tasty vinaigrette, I use raspberry wine vinegar because it gives a subtle dimension to the salad but normally red wine vinegar is used so pick whichever you prefer. If you’re using an oil-packed tuna can, reserve the oil and if there’s not enough, add extra virgin olive oil to get the ¼ cup needed. After chilling the vinaigrette for 1:30 hours, take it out 20 minutes before serving in case the oil starts to solidify. When ready to eat, give it a good whisk and pour it over the Salade Niçoise.
Back to the tuna… It’s visually more appealing to have little chunks of it than flakes. It gives more personality to the dish. Another ingredient that gives a nice look to it is red peppers – it’s not traditional but highly suggested.
Salade Niçoise is beyond a salad… it’s an art form on a plate! I know there are a lot of steps but the combination is exactly what Côte d’Azur is about; great ingredients with a breeze of freshness from the Mediterranean. This is a salad that you must have and I wouldn’t be surprised if it becomes your favorite for the season…
Bon Appétit!
Here are more incredible French recipes for you to enjoy…
– Classic Vichyssoise
– Canard aux Montmorency
– Croque-madame
– Escargots à la Bourguignonne
– Sole Almondine
– Creamy French Eggs
– Steak Tartare
– Lemon Rosemary Madeleines
and for even more salad recipes, click on this link… Recipe Category • Salads & Dressings
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Salade Niçoise
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Ingredients
VINAIGRETTE
- 1 small clove garlic, pressed
- 1 1/2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice tips & tricks
- 1 1/2 tbsp. raspberry wine vinegar (substitute red wine vinegar)
- 1/2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp. Herbes de Provence tips & tricks
- 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, or to taste (I always use mixed peppercorns)
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil Footnote
- 1 large anchovy filet, finely chopped
- 1 tsp. honey, or to taste tips & tricks
SALAD
- 2 large hard-boiled eggs, sliced
- 1/2 cup baby potatoes, cooked and halved or quartered
- 6 ounces green beans, cooked and cut in thirds
- 1/2 cup red onions, sliced (Lyonnaise cut) tips & tricks
- 1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice tips & tricks
- 1 small Butter lettuce leaves (substitute Boston), washed and pat dried
- 1/2 English cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup red peppers, thinly sliced and halved *optional
- 1/4 cup yellow peppers, thinly sliced and halved *optional
- 1 can (6 oz.) oil-packed tuna, drained Footnote
- 2 tbsp. capers, rinsed and drained
- 1/4 cup niçoise olives, (substitute Kalamata or black olives), drained
- 2 large anchovy filets, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
Directions
VINAIGRETTE
- In a small bowl, add pressed garlic, lemon juice, wine vinegar, mustard, Herbes de Provence, and freshly ground pepper.
- In a slow steady stream, add oil whisking constantly.
- Add anchovy pieces and whisk; taste and adjust if necessary.
- Add honey, whisk again, cover and transfer to the fridge for 1 ½ hours.
SALAD
- Boil the eggs and when they’re done, plunge them in an ice water bath; set aside.
- One hour before serving, start boiling the potatoes in salted water for 10 to 12 minutes or until just tender.
- When they’re done, drain and wait a few minutes before cutting them in half; set aside to cool.
- Bring a pot of salty water to a boil. Add green beans and set the timer for 2 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and plunge them in an ice water bath to stop them cooking. Let them sit there for 10 minutes to cool off, drain and set aside.
- In a small bowl, add onion slices. Pour on lemon juice and water; toss to coat. Marinate them for 5 minutes; drain and set aside.
- Take the vinaigrette out of the fridge and let it get to room temperature while assembling the salad.
- To assemble...On 2 large plates, place a few lettuce leaves to cover. Evenly add cucumber slices, potato halves, cherry tomatoes, green beans, red onion slices, bell peppers, tuna chunks, sliced hard boiled eggs, capers, olives, and anchovy pieces.
- Drizzle on some vinaigrette and serve immediately.
Notes
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