Nicoise for the Connoisseur
“Slow Food Movement. A way to enjoy food that is both mindful & elegant. If food is presented to us in a beautiful way, it forces us to slow down & savor the moment.”
Salad Nicoise | First Course
Salad Nicoise is an arranged marriage composed by the French. As with any respectable relationship, each is expected to carry their own weight. Thus ingredients have been prepared & plated in such a way so as to showcase their individual offering, contrasting texture, color & flavor. The hericot verts are roasted in a rich & sweet balsamic vinaigrette. The still warm purple potatoes as well as the chickpeas, are marinated in lemon & olive oil before chilling & adding the the plate. It is finished with a blossomed caper & lemon vinaigrette. The Kumato, (brown tomato) is richer in umami than other varietals adding yet another complex layer to this composed salad. This is not a toss together, but intended as a first course & a lesson in composition.
4 first course salads
1 recipe balsamic roasted hericot verts (or regular string beans)
purple potato (if you can not find the purple, you may use fingerlings or baby reds)
1 recipe of Blossomed Caper & lemon vinaigrette
1 can of chickpeas, rinsed
1 head of Butter lettuce
1 package of micro greens
4 hard cooked eggs, halved with a light dusting of smoked paprika
2 cans of white albacore tuna, olive oil packed, drained & flaked
Persian cucumber, thinly sliced on the diagonal
1/2 cup olives of choice, (black, green or Kalamata)
Kumato, brown tomato (or hot house tomatoes) cut into six wedges, lightly salted
4 rainbow radish, halved
1.) Roast your hericot verts according to the recipe (link highlighted above).
2.) Boil or steam purple potatoes until just barely fork tender then run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Meanwhile, whisk together you vinaigrette (recipe below). Slice potatoes in half lengthwise when cool enough to handle but still warm on the inside, place in a small bowl & gently toss with 1 Tbsp. vinaigrette, set aside to marinate. In a separate bowl, toss chickpeas with 1 Tbsp. vinaigrette & set aside to marinate.
3.) Gently pull off the largest & loveliest leaves from butter lettuce keeping them whole, you will need 2-3 leaves per salad, rinse under cold running water, wrap gently in paper towels & refrigerate to crisp up. Chill 4 salad plates.
4.) Arrange butter lettuce leaves on chilled plates to serve as a base. Compose your Nicoise salad in such way, that each component understands the role they play. It’s poetry on a plate.
Lemon & Blossomed Caper Vinaigrette
makes 1 cup
2/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup capers, drained on paper towel & patted dry
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. white vinegar
1 tsp. mustard (preferably brown or Dijon)
1 clove of garlic, very finely minced
salt & pepper to taste
Heat olive oil in a small sauce pan over medium heat until shimmering. Carefully add capers & fry until golden & blossomed (they will open up) this should only take 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat, with a slotted spoon, remove capers from oil & set aside. Set olive oil aside to cool. Whisk together, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard & garlic in a small bowl. Slowly add olive oil in steady stream, whisking constantly so as to create an emulsification. You can also shake this vinaigrette into submission in a mason with a tightly fitted lid. Season to taste with salt & pepper. When ready to serve, drizzle dressing over & scatter blossomed capers over.
