This is an absolute classic that can be found at essentially any bistro worth their salt, throughout France. Originated in Provence, it makes a fantastic light lunch or brunch. This is really all about highlighting the quality of the ingredients and allowing them to shine, which is what makes American Tuna a perfect choice for this. The beauty of this is that everything can be prepared in advance and then dressed lightly just before serving.
Really feel free to play with the components of this as it can be adjusted to fit the seasons. Think asparagus and snap peas in the spring, Wedges of heirloom tomato and Green beans in the summer and even roasted peppers and heartier greens towards the fall. I like to dress it with a mustardy vinaigrette to help cut through everything and punch things up.
For a classic pairing, a crisp, dry Provençal Rosé or a vibrant Sauvignon Blanc are excellent pairings for a Salade Niçoise. The Rosé, with its light, fruity flavors and good acidity, is ideal for balancing the salty, oily elements of the Niçoise and other ingredients, while Sauvignon Blanc's herbal and citrus notes complement the fresh vegetables and olives.
______
Ingredients
1 can American Tuna Albacore or Salmon
8 ounces small yellow or red potatoes
4 ounces fresh green beans, trimmed
2 soft cooked eggs, halved
1 cup quartered radishes and/or sliced cucumber
½ cup Niçoise or Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
4 Oz Asparagus, peeled and blanched
2 heads Little gems lettuces or other soft garden lettuces, washed and trimmed
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon
Freshly ground black pepper
Shallot Vinaigrette, for drizzling (recipe below)
1 shallot minced
1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
2T Champagne Vinegar, White wine vinegar or Lemon Juice
8T good quality olive oil
______
Directions:
- Gently boil potatoes in salty water (salty like the sea) until just tender. Drain and cool.
- Trim and blanch green beans is salty water (again, salty like the sea) for 3 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water, drain and hold.
- Peel the woody end of the asparagus if they are thick. For thinner asparagus, you can skip this step. Blanch in boiling, salty water for 2 minutes, or until slightly tender. Drain and cool under cold running water. Dry and hold.
- Bring a small pot of water to a boil, add the two eggs and turn down to a very gentle simmer so as not to crack the eggs. Boil for 7 minutes, then drain and rinse under cold running water. Once cool enough to handle, peel under running water and hold.
- Shave radishes into thin ⅛ slices.
- Drain and halve olives
- If using little gems, quarter and wash your lettuces and separate them into smaller fork size pieces. For smaller lettuces, be sure to wash and spin dry.
- For the vinaigrette put your shallot, mustard, oil, vinegar and a pinch of salt in a small mason jar and shake vigorously. Taste and season accordingly with salt if needed.
- Finally when you are ready to plate, just be creative to compose by laying down a bed of greens, followed by layers of potato, rows of vegetables and scatterings of olives and radishes. There is no right or wrong way here.
- Open the can of American Tuna and gently break into chunks and place on top.
- Drizzle a bit of your vinaigrette, a sprinkle of salt over everything. Finally, cut the eggs in half and reveal that lovely jammy texture. Place on top and give it a sprinkle of salt and crack of fresh pepper.