Salade Nicoise Information
The well-known Nicoise Salad, or Salade Nicoise in French; is a delicious, refreshing and traditional salad from France in which fresh produce of the market are complemented with typical Provencal seasonings. Originating from Nice in the Provence Alpes Cote d'Azur region, this mixed salad has definitely made the Mediterranean traditional gastronomy transcend borders!
The tasty and colourful Nicoise Salad can be served on its own as a main Provencal dish, but it is also common to order it in the typical French Brasseries as a garnish for meat or fish dishes. Bringing into your plate the warmth of France's sunny Cote d'Azur, this crudites salad usually includes tomatoes, anchovies, black olives, capers, French beans and lemon juice.
Respecting the traditional Provencal gastronomy, the seasoning is made with olive oil, basil and garlic, but it can also include parsley or mustard to get a French vinaigrette dressing.
Widely known as Salade Nicoise, this typical salad is in harmony with the cooking style of the refresing and sunny city of Nice in Provence. That is why it should be only prepared with fresh vegetables from the market. Regional variations have been created, replacing the beans by fava beans or artichokes, and adding tuna, potatoes, boiled eggs and crispy lettuce. Such complete Salad Nicoise is really popular amongst Frenchmen at lunchtime in summer.
The traditional Salade Nicoise must be made of only raw vegetables to fully enjoy the quality and finesse of Southern France produce. We must admit that the Nicoise Salad has been unfortunately victim of its success! Now worldwide served, in authentic French Brasseries as well as in American Cafes, this traditional Mediterranean salad comes in many different forms and its 'true' ingredients are often debated. Some cooks simply serve raw vegetables on a bed of lettuce whilst others say that tomatoes are the base and potatoes are unsuitable!
If you want to read more about it, you can have more information about Provence Alpes Cote d'Azur Gastronomy.
Salade Nicoise Recipe
Salade Nicoise Ingredients
450g/1lb fresh tuna or 4 x 175g/6oz tuna steaks, 2.5cm/1in thick8 new potatoes, cooked and quartered lengthways
4 plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
115g/4oz extra fine French beans, topped, cooked and drained
4 little gem lettuce hearts, quartered lengthways
1 red onion, finely sliced
4 eggs, cooked for 6 minutes in boiling water from room temperature, halved
6 anchovy fillets cut lengthways into thin strips
16 pitted black olives in brine
8 basil leaves, ripped
For the dressing or marinade:
105ml/7tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp aged red wine vinegar
2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
2 tbsp freshly snipped chives
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
Salade Nicoise Cooking Method
To make the dressing or marinade whisk together the red wine vinegar, olive oil, parsley, chives, garlic, salt and pepper.
Place the tuna in a shallow dish and pour over half of the dressing. Cover and chill for 1-2 hours to allow the fish to marinate. Toss in the marinade from time to time.
Heat a ridged griddle pan on the hob or a hot barbecue for 5 minutes. Remove the tuna from the marinade. Cook the tuna steaks for 2-3 minutes on each side, depending on how rare you like your fish.
Lay the lettuce leaves onto a large plate and add the lettuce, onion, tomatoes, potato, tuna, beans and anchovies. Drizzle over the remaining dressing then finish by adding the eggs, olives and ripped basil leaves.
