This salad always reminds me of a fabulous weekend break in Nice where my boyfriend (now husband) and I enjoyed a fabulous Salad Nicoise in the city's old town.
It's a delicious salad that is said to have originated in Nice, and even took it's name from this beautiful city.
It was traditionally a simple salad of tomatoes, tuna and/or anchovies, hard boiled eggs and olive oil.
Today steamed green beans and cooked potatoes are often included as well, along with a dressing of vinaigrette.
My version sometimes includes potatoes, if I want a more substantial salad, but I also love to include steamed fine green beans, olives and capers.
Serves 2 or 4 as a starter
For the salad
Bag of mixed green salad
3 eggs
6-9 small waxy potatoes or Jersey Royals
Handful of cherry tomatoes
Handful of fine green beans
Handful of small black olives
Handful of nonpareille capers (or regular capers)
150g tin of white tuna (104g drained)
For the French vinaigrette dressing
6 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove (finely grated or crushed)
Seasoning
To make the dressing
- Peel and finely grate the garlic clove.
- Place all of the dressing ingredients in a small jug or lidded jar and stir or shake well until the dressing has emulsified.
To make the salad
- Place the eggs in a pan of cold water, bring to the boil, cover and cook for 5-6 minutes. Remove from the water and place in a bowl of cold water.
- Top and tail the green beans.
- Depending on the size of the potatoes, keep whole or halve (quarter).
- Steam the potatoes for 25 minutes and the green beans for 6-8 minutes (until tender).
- Immediately place the drained green beans into a bowl of iced cold water, to help them retain their colour.
- Let the potatoes cool, and then remove the skins if preferred.
- Remove the shells from the eggs (its generally easy under a running water) and cut into halves or quarters.
- Slice the tomatoes in half.
- Place the salad leaves in the salad bowls or plates and top with the remaining ingredients.
- Drizzle over the dressing and serve.
