Salade Niçoise is excerpted from Salad For Dinner © 2012 by Jeanne Kelley. Reproduced by permission of Rizzoli International. All rights reserved.
Cooked potatoes and green beans have come to be considered standard components of a salade niçoise, but in Provence, cooked veggies are a no-no—or should I say non-non? It makes sense, as raw vegetables provide fresh crunch, and with the exception of the hardboiled eggs, the more authentic version requires no cooking. My version is not completely authentic as I have chosen to dress my “a little bit classic” salad with a bold anchovy vinaigrette. Thinly sliced basil leaves are called chiffonade. Chiffonade is easy to make: Simply stack the leaves neatly and roll into a cylinder. Using a sharp knife, thinly slice the cylinder crosswise into thin strips. Serve the salad with thinly sliced pain rustique.
4 servings
Salad Ingredients
- 12 cups mixed greens
- 2 (5-ounce) cans tuna packed in olive oil, drained
- 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced
- 2 small (pickling or Persian) cucumbers, halved and sliced
- 2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced
- 10 leaves fresh basil, thinly sliced (chiffonade), or 1/3 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves
- 4 small ripe tomatoes, each cut into 6 wedges
- 5 jarred artichoke hearts with stems (from a 14.6-ounce jar), cut lengthwise into quarters
- 4 hardboiled eggs (see below), peeled and quartered
- Black olives, either 32 pitted niçoise olives or 20 pitted kalamata olives, cut in half
- Anchovy Vinaigrette (see below)
Salad Instructions
Divide the mixed greens among 4 plates, creating attractive beds. Scatter the tuna, red pepper, cucumbers, celery, green onions, and basil over the lettuce, dividing evenly. Arrange the tomatoes, artichokes, eggs, and olives attractively atop the salads, dividing evenly. Serve the salads, allowing diners to spoon dressing over their own salads.
Anchovy Vinaigrette
This dressing makes a great dip for crudités. For ease and quick clean up, chop the anchovies on a thin, pliable plastic cutting board (usually used for raw chicken).
Makes about 1 cup
Anchovy Vinaigrette Ingredients
- 2 (2-ounce) cans anchovies in olive oil, drained (about 16 fillets), finely chopped
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 4 garlic cloves, pressed
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Anchovy Vinaigrette Instructions
Stir the anchovies, vinegar, mustard, and garlic to blend in a medium bowl. Whisk in the olive oil. Season the dressing with freshly ground black pepper. (Vinaigrette can be prepared 3 days ahead; cover and refrigerate.)
Hardboiled Eggs
It’s always good to have a few hardboiled eggs on hand as they make a great addition to any number of salads and a quick and healthy snack.
Makes 4
Hardboiled Eggs Ingredients
4 large or extra-large eggs
Hardboiled Eggs Instructions
Cover the eggs with water in a small saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Simmer the eggs slowly for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Rinse the eggs with cold water to cool. Refrigerate the eggs until well chilled. (Eggs can be hardboiled up to 1 week ahead; cover and refrigerate.)
