My dad jokes that he married my mom because she made such amazing salads. And I’m pretty sure one of the reasons Jeff loves me is because of my passion for cooking and baking.
But it's not just because he’s the recipient of some pretty tasty meals and treats—he honestly likes to see me doing what I love. Which I gotta tell you is pretty awesome, and it also makes preparing food for him really enjoyable. So when he requests one of his fave meals, a salade Niçoise, I'm all over it.
The Niçoise was originally considered a meal for the “poor man,” because it was created from fresh ingredients that were typically on-hand in southern France in the late 19th century, such as anchovies, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, olives, mustard, vinegar and olive oil. But over time, the recipe changed and additional ingredients were added like eggs, haricot vert, tuna, red potatoes, etc.
No wonder this recipe is his fave. Not only does this combination of ingredients taste amazing, but it's such a perfect balance of carbs, protein and fat—with a good dose of veggies—so you just feel amazing after eating it.
Because I’m not a recipe purist, I often take liberties with the ingredients depending upon what’s in the fridge. I like to think that it goes back to the root of this salad by using what's on-hand. So here’s how I like to make a Niçoise, and a few substitution suggestions in parenthesis.
INGREDIENTS - Smoked or baked salmon (Ahi or canned tuna, tofu for vegan) - Red potatoes (sweet potatoes) - Asparagus (haricots verts) - Hard-boiled eggs (goat cheese or cashew cheese for vegan) - Kalamata olives (green olives or seeds) - Cherry tomatoes (dried or fresh berries) - Arugula (any greens will do)
- Green onion (fresh basil)
- Olive, vinegar and mustard dressing (goddess dressing)
DIRECTIONS 1. Boil eggs (I like to boil my water then add eggs for 6 minutes) and set aside. 2. Blanch haricots verts and set aside. 3. Slice tomatoes and boiled eggs in halves. 4. Add greens to plates, then top with the remaining ingredients and drizzle with dressing of choice.