Salade Niçoise
This is the quintessential French salad and makes a wonderful summer lunch, with hard-boiled eggs, runner beans and fresh herbs for substantial flavour
SERVES
8
PEOPLE
PREP TIME
20
MINUTES
Ingredients
8 medium new potatoes, cooked but still warm
3-4 ripe tomatoes, quartered
110g runner beans, topped and tailed and cut into 5cm lengths, blanched and refreshed
pinch of granulated sugar
1 dsp chives, chopped
1 dsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 dsp annual marjoram or thyme
1 crisp lettuce (optional)
3 hard-boiled organic eggs, quartered
12 black olives
1 tsp capers (optional)
1 x 50g can anchovy fillets and/or 2 x 100g cans tuna
8 tiny spring onions
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
For the Ballymaloe French dressing:
125ml extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp honey
1 garlic clove, crushed
½ tsp Dijon mustard
Maldon sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
Method
To make the dressing, put all the ingredients into a small bowl or jam jar. Whisk until the dressing has emulsified. Preferably use fresh but it will keep in the fridge for a couple of days. Whisk to emulsify before using.
Slice the new potatoes into 5mm thick slices and toss in some Ballymaloe French dressing while still warm. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Toss the tomatoes and beans in some more dressing, season with salt, pepper and sugar and sprinkle with some of the chopped herbs.
Line a shallow bowl with lettuce leaves, if using, and add the potatoes. Arrange the remaining ingredient appetisingly on top of the potatoes, finishing off with the olives, capers, if using, and chunks of tuna and/or the anchovies. Drizzle some more dressing over the top. Sprinkle over the remaining herbs and spring onions and serve.
Tip: For a vegetarian version of this salad, omit the tuna fish or anchovies and add strips of roasted red and yellow peppers and chargrilled onions.
From Grow, Cook, Nourish published by Kyle Books
