Nicoise Salad

Course: Salad

Cuisine: French

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 35

Servings: servings

Author: Eva Marie

Print Recipe

Ingredients

1 pound red-skinned potatoes quartered
10 ounces haricots verts or thin green beans trimmed
10-12 ounces high quality tuna canned or freshly cooked
4 large hard-boiled eggs peeled and halved
1 purple Daikon radish sliced
1/2 shallot minced (about 1 tablespoons)
1 clove garlic
1-1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon chopped herbs - fresh thyme parsley, and chives are the best
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
8 cherry tomatoes halved
1 head Boston lettuce leaves separated
10-12 Kalamata or Nicoise olives
2 tablespoons capers
A few very thinly sliced rings of red onion
Handful of fresh basil leaves
1 lemon cut into wedges
Salt and black pepper

Instructions

Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, about 20-25 minutes.
Drain and set aside.
Blanch the green beans in boiling water for 2 minutes or so, until they are bright green.
Drain and plunge into ice water for a minute or rinse under cold water.
Dry the beans with paper towels.
In a small bowl add the shallots, garlic, Dijon mustard, honey, herbs, and vinegar.
Using a small whisk or fork, vigorously stir the ingredients as you pour the olive oil into the bowl in a slow and steady stream.
Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.
Arrange the lettuce on a platter.
Place the potatoes, green beans, and tuna in separate rows on the platter.
Chiffonade or chop the basil leaves and sprinkle them over the top of the salad.
Scatter the olives, radish slices tomatoes, basil, and capers over the salad.
Arrange with the lemon wedges and eggs around the platter.
Serve the dressing on the side.

Notes

I sometimes like to make this as a tossed salad for more casual meals. To do this, I tear the lettuce into smaller pieces, smash the potatoes with the back of a fork to break them up a bit, chop the eggs, cut the green beans into 1-inch pieces, and toss with the rest of the ingredients. It is delicious and still very pretty served this way.