Salade Niçoise—Simple French Fare for Humble People Dinner for Four – $21.00

Feeling the pinch of food prices yet craving French fare? Salade Niçoise is your answer. Referred to by the French as simple food for poor people, this salad, is delicious, chic, and reasonably priced to prepare.

The history of this salad is quite interesting, and there is much debate over what constitutes a “true” Salade Niçoise. The original salad included whatever fresh produce was available from the garden and anchovies packed in olive oil, which French peasants kept stocked in their pantries. I love how so many of the recipes we enjoy today began with simple roots where cooks used whatever they had on hand to feed their families.

Renee Graglia, a former president of a group devoted to preserving traditional Niçoise cuisine, claims, "Niçoise cooking was simple food for poor people. At first, Salade Niçoise was made only with tomatoes, anchovies, and olive oil." A group called Cercle la Capelina d’Ors, however, claimed a traditional Salade Niçoise consisted of tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, anchovies, tuna, spring onions, Nice olives, and basil. And, so the debate continues.

Salade Niçoise first appeared on restaurant menus in Nice, France, in the late 1800s; and, like any recipe has evolved over the years. Henri Heraud, author of the 1903 cookbook, La Cuisine a Nice, used tomatoes, anchovies, artichokes, olive oil, red peppers, and black olives in his Salade Niçoise recipe. Auguste Escoffier, France’s most famous chef, was the first to add boiled potatoes and green beans. Over the years, chefs have added salmon, corn, shrimp, avocadoes, lemons, and even grains, giving Salade Niçoise as many variations as there are cooks.

Following is my version, which can be prepared for about $5.25 per serving. I used Herbes de Provence in my vinaigrette to give my salad a French flair. I keep this spice in my pantry. If you don’t have it on hand and don’t want to purchase it, substitute with some minced garlic or dried thyme or oregano leaves. I have included a list of optional ingredients to add if they are on hand—artichoke hearts, capers, red or green bell pepper slices, radishes, and cucumber slices. I love recipes you can customize by adding your family’s favorite foods or produce you have in your fridge that you need to use before it passes its prime.

Salade Niçoise

Serves 4

For the vinaigrette:

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons shallots, minced

¼ teaspoon Herbes de Provence

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

In a small bowl, place vinegar, Dijon mustard, shallots, Herbes de Provence, salt, and pepper and whisk to combine. Slowly whisk in olive oil and whisk until emulsified. Set aside until ready to serve salad.

For the salad:

4 large eggs

12 ounces Yukon gold new potatoes, halved (2 potatoes per person)

8 ounces green beans, ends trimmed

8 cups mixed salad greens

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (about 4 per person)

Red onion, thinly sliced, to taste

½ cup Kalamata or Niçoise olives, drained

2 (5-ounce) cans Albacore tuna, packed in water, drained and cut into bite-size pieces

¼ cup capers, drained, optional

Artichoke hearts, drained and quartered, optional

Green or red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced into thin strips.

Sliced or chopped radishes, optional

Sliced or chopped cucumber, optional

Fill a saucepan large enough to allow eggs room to breathe and with enough water to cover eggs by an inch. Place the saucepan over a high heat. Bring the water to a boil, lower the temperature to a rapid simmer, and lower the eggs into the water gently. Cook eggs about 12 minutes.

Immediately plunge eggs into an ice bath and let sit for 12 minutes. Remove and peel. Cut eggs in half.

Place another large saucepan filled with water over a high heat. When the water boils, add potatoes and cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a sharp knife, about 15 minutes. Do not overcook. Using a slotted spoon, remove potatoes and transfer to a bowl to cool. Set aside.

To the same saucepan, add green beans and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until beans are tender crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove beans and immediately plunge them into a bowl of ice water to retard the cooking process. Drain and set aside.

On individual plates, arrange mixed salad greens, eggs, potatoes, green beans, cherry tomatoes, red onion, black olives, and tuna. Add any optional ingredients. Drizzle with dressing and toss gently to combine.

Tips on selecting mixed salad greens: Any type of lettuce should be free of blemishes. Its leaves should be an even green in color with little browning on the outside edges. If you are buying boxed or bagged lettuce, check the date. Buy boxed or bagged lettuces with at least 5 days remaining before the “Sell-By” date. Check the packaging and avoid ones that contain lettuce that is wilted or shows signs of spoilage. Avoid packages that contain lettuce with yellowing leaves or brown edges.

Carol Ann

Carol Ann Kates is the award-winning author of cookbook, Secret Recipes from the Corner Market, and international Amazon best-selling and award-winning author of Grocery Shopping Secrets. She’s an expert in how to shop, select, and store produce for maximizing home cooking outcomes and minimizing time and money spent. As a former supermarket and deli operator, Carol Ann shares grocery-insider wisdom—the same expertise you used to receive when patronizing a mom-and-pop establishment. Contact her at CarolAnn@CarolAnnKates.com and explore her website, www.CarolAnnKates.com.

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