Salade Niçoise

Name: Salade Niçoise
Yield: Serves 6
Cuisine: France
Ingredients: 6 hard-boiled eggs; 6 small tomatoes (about 1 pound/450 g total), peeled; 2 pounds/900 g waxy potatoes, unpeeled; 1 pound/450 g green beans, trimmed; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chervil; 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme; salt and pepper; ¾ cup/175 ml. olive oil; 1 teaspoon dijon mustard; salt and pepper; ¼ cup/60 ml. red wine vinegar; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; ¾ cup/150 g salted (dry-cured) black niçois olives; two 6½-ounce/200-g cans tuna in olive oil, or 12 anchovy fillets, halved lengthwise; two 6½-ounce/200-g cans tuna in olive oil, or 12 anchovy fillets, halved lengthwise; two 6½-ounce/200-g cans tuna in olive oil, or 12 anchovy fillets, halved lengthwise; two 6½-ounce/200-g cans tuna in olive oil, or 12 anchovy fillets, halved lengthwise

Preparation info

Serves
6

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

The Country Cooking of France

By Anne Willan

Published 2007

About

Early versions of Salade Niçoise were almost vegetarian, calling for equal amounts of green beans and potatoes, topped with quartered tomatoes, capers, olives, and anchovies, definitely an appetizer to tease the palate. By the 1950s, tuna had entered the picture, and now the salad is invariably served in main-dish portions.

Ingredients

Herb Vinaigrette

¼ cup/60 ml. red wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Europe
France
Starter
Pescatarian
Mediterranean
Gluten-free

Method

For the vinaigrette, whisk together the vinegar, garlic, mustard, salt, and pepper in a large bowl for 30 seconds to dissolve the salt. Gradually whisk in the oil so the dressing emulsifies and thickens slightly. Whisk in the chervil and thyme, taste, and adjust the seasoning. Set aside.

Put the potatoes in a large pan of salted water, cutting any large ones into 2 or 3 uniform pieces s