Salade Niçoise With Spring Vegetables Food

SALADE NIçOISE

Steps:

• Potatoes: Fill a small saucepan with water. Add potatoes, thyme sprig, bay leaf, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Haricots vert: Fill a large saucepan with water and bring to a boil. When boiling, add a big pinch of salt, followed by haricots verts. Cook until tender with a slight snap, 4-9 minutes depending on size. Eggs: Fill a small saucepan with water and bring to a boil. When boiling, use a spoon to gently ease eggs into the water. Cook exactly 7½ minutes. Meanwhile, prepare two ice baths: Fill two large bowls with water and plenty of ice.
• Scallions: Trim away the very end of the root while keeping scallion intact; remove the thick outer layer. Cut away the dark green top, leaving a 3-inch length of white and light-green scallion. Make several 1-inch vertical cuts down the top to create a scallion "brush." Repeat with all the scallions and place them in an ice bath to preserve freshness. Radishes: Slice each radish lengthwise into thin slices. Set aside.
• When beans are mostly tender with a touch of firmness, use a strainer to transfer them to an ice bath to stop the cooking. Remove eggs and place them into the same ice bath. Check potatoes for doneness by piercing one with a knife; there should be no resistance. Remove potatoes and set aside; discard thyme and bay leaf. Peel eggs, slice in half lengthwise, and set aside.
• Assembly: On a serving platter, layer the Boston lettuce, followed by the baby gem. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise and distribute evenly, followed by haricots verts, scallions, whole tomatoes, radish, large chunks of tuna, and eggs. Garnish with leaves of basil and chervil.
• Pit olives (optional): Place olives on a flat surface. Press the bottom of a small bowl on the olives to loosen their pits; remove and discard the pits. Scatter the pitted olives over the salad. Next, tuck small bunches of arugula within the lettuce. Finally, finish assembling the salad by laying about 10 anchovies evenly across the top.
• Chef Boulud offers two options for dressing the salad. Lemon & Oil Dressing: Zest lemon evenly over the salad, then sprinkle with lemon juice. Drizzle with olive oil, and finish with pepper and salt. (Note: Use salt with moderation, since the tuna and anchovies are already salted.) Grand-Mère's Vinaigrette: In a bowl, add the sliced garlic and a pinch of salt. Use a fork to mash the garlic into a coarse paste. Add mustard, vinegar, and pepper; stir to combine. Add olive oil in a slow stream, whisking constantly with the fork to emulsify. Add a teaspoon of water at a time, whisking between additions, to thin vinaigrette as desired. Place vinaigrette into a serving dish and serve alongside the salad.

NICOISE SALAD

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, mustard, salt, onion powder and pepper; set aside., Place potatoes in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until tender, 15-20 minutes. Drain and cool; cut into quarters., Place beans in another saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook until crisp-tender, 3-5 minutes; drain and rinse in cold water., Divide lettuce between 2 salad plates; top with potatoes, beans, tomatoes, olives, eggs and tuna. Drizzle with dressing.

SALADE NIçOISE WITH SPRING VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Prepare a medium-hot fire (450°F) in a wood-fired grill, or plan to use a grill pan.
• To make the dressing, whisk the vinegar, shallots, mustard, garlic paste, and anchovy paste together in a small bowl until well combined. Gradually whisk in the oil until the mixture is emulsified. Whisk in the thyme, tarragon, and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
• Cook the beans in a large pot of salted boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Immediately transfer them to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Remove when cooled, then drain and pat dry and set aside. Cook the carrots by the same method. Add the potatoes to salted boiling water and simmer, uncovered, until tender (15 to 20 minutes) and drain into colander. Halve the potatoes while still warm and toss with a small amount of the dressing to coat. Set aside to cool.
• Heat a grill pan, if using, over high heat, then decrease the heat to medium-high. Coat the grill grids with oil or oil the grill pan. Brush the tuna steaks with olive oil and lightly season with salt and pepper on both sides. Grill uncovered, turning once, for about 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare. Remove from the heat and let rest for 3 minutes. Break into large pieces, about 3 inches or so.
• Toss the lettuce in a large bowl with about 2 tablespoons of the dressing and salt and pepper to taste. In a small bowl, toss the tomatoes with 1 tablespoon of the dressing and salt lightly. Toss the beans with a small amount of salad dressing to coat just before serving.
• Arrange the beans, potatoes, tuna, lettuce, tomatoes, olives, and egg wedges in sections on a platter. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve. Drizzle each serving with dressing and sprinkle capers on the tuna.

SALADE NICOISE

Steps:

• For the vinaigrette:.
• Whisk lemon juice, oil, shallot, thyme, basil, oregano, and mustard in medium bowl; season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.
• For the salad:
• Place eggs in small saucepan, cover by 1 inch with cold water, and bring to boil over high heat. Remove pan from heat, cover, and let stand 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, fill medium bowl with 1 quart water and 2 cups ice cubes. With slotted spoon, transfer eggs to ice water; let stand 5 minutes. Peel eggs and quarter lengthwise; set aside (reserve ice water).
• Meanwhile, bring potatoes and 4 quarts cold water to boil in large Dutch oven or stockpot over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt and cook until potatoes are tender when poked with paring knife, 5 to 8 minutes.
• With slotted spoon, gently transfer potatoes to medium bowl (do not discard boiling water).
• Toss warm potatoes with vermouth and salt and pepper to taste; let stand 1 minute.
• Toss in 1/4 cup vinaigrette; set aside.
• While potatoes cook, toss lettuce with 1/4 cup vinaigrette in large bowl until coated.
• Arrange bed of lettuce on very large, flat serving platter.
• Place tuna in now-empty bowl and break up with fork.
• Add 1/2 cup vinaigrette and stir to combine; mound tuna in center of lettuce.
• Toss tomatoes, red onion, 3 tablespoons vinaigrette, and salt and pepper to taste in now-empty bowl; arrange tomato-onion mixture in mound at edge of lettuce bed.
• Arrange reserved potatoes in separate mound at edge of lettuce bed.
• Return water to boil; add 1 tablespoon salt and green beans. Cook until tender but crisp, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Drain beans, transfer to reserved ice water, and let stand until just cool, about 30 seconds; dry beans well on triple layer of paper towels.
• Toss beans, 3 tablespoons vinaigrette, and salt and pepper to taste in now-empty bowl; arrange in separate mound at edge of lettuce bed.
• Arrange reserved eggs, olives, and anchovies (if using) in separate mounds at edge of lettuce bed.
• Drizzle eggs with remaining 2 tablespoons dressing, sprinkle entire salad with capers (if using).
• Serve immediately.

SALADE NIçOISE

Steps:

• To make the dressing, mash the garlic and anchovy, if using, with a small pinch of salt on a board using the blade of a large knife, or in a pestle and mortar. Combine the paste with the mustard and vinegar, then slowly stir in the tuna oil. Set aside.
• Tip the new potatoes into a large pan of cold salted water, ensuring they're well covered. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the beans and cook for 5 mins, then remove with a slotted spoon and immediately plunge into a bowl of iced water to cool. Cook the potatoes for another 5 mins until tender, then drain and leave to cool. When cool enough to handle, halve or quarter them, and toss in a large bowl with 1 tbsp of the dressing. Leave to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, cook the eggs in a second pan of simmering water for 7½ mins, then transfer to a bowl of iced water to cool. Drain the beans and eggs, then peel and halve the eggs.
• Tip the lettuce quarters, cooked beans and olives into the bowl with the potatoes. Add most of the remaining dressing and gently toss. Divide the salad between two bowls, and top with the tomatoes and eggs. Flake over the tuna, then drizzle with the rest of the dressing and season.

SALADE NIçOISE

Steps:

• Make the vinaigrette:
• In a large bowl make the vinaigrette by whisking together the vinegar and the mustard. Slowly whisk in the oil in a thin stream to emulsify the mixture. Stir in the garlic and the onions. Mince the parsley and add it, with the tarragon and chervil, to the dressing, mixing well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Make the Salad:
• Rinse the tuna, pat it dry and refrigerate it until just before cooking.
• Build a small fire in a barbecue. When the coals are red and dusted with ash, spread them out, and lay the rosemary atop them. Set the grill atop the coals. Rub the tuna on all sides lightly with olive oil, and place on the grill. Cover the grill, leaving the vents open, so the tuna grills and smokes at the same time. Grill until the tuna is lightly golden and almost cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Carefully turn the tuna and cook until it is golden on the other side and opaque through, an additional 5 to 7 minutes. The cooking time will vary depending on the heat of the fire, so check it carefully. Transfer the tuna to a plate, season it lightly all over with salt and pepper, and let it cool to room temperature. When it is cool enough to handle, carefully remove the skin and any bones. Drizzle it on both sides with about 3 tablespoons of the vinaigrette, then reserve at room temperature.
• Drain the anchovies of oil and pat them dry.
• Bring 4 cups water to a boil in the bottom of a steamer. Add half the beans, cover, and steam until they are tender firm, about 6 minutes. Remove from the steamer and let cool on a wire rack covered with a cotton tea towel. Repeat with the remaining beans.
• Transfer one-third of the dressing to a medium sized bowl.
• Bring a medium-sized pot of salted water to a boil, and add the potatoes. Cook just until they are tender through, about 15 minutes. Drain. If you want to peel them, do so as soon as they are cool enough to handle. Add them, still warm, to the one-third of the vinaigrette. Toss, and reserve.
• To assemble the salad, just before serving toss the beans and the peppers with enough vinaigrette to fully moisten them, and arrange them in the center of a serving platter. Top them with the anchovy fillets, arranging them attractively on top. Quarter the eggs, and place them, with the tomatoes, around the beans and peppers. Drizzle them with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the vinaigrette.
• Place the potatoes on another platter. Break the tuna apart into large pieces, and arrange the pieces attractively atop the potatoes. Sprinkle with the olives. Drizzle with any remaining vinaigrette, and garnish with several sprigs of parsley and chervil. Serve immediately.