Salade Nicoise is a simple and tasty salad and one of the most famous dishes of Southern French cuisine. This recipe is rich in history and can be prepared easily in a few minutes. It is a great choice to start a wonderful Mediterranean meal!
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 head green lettuce
- 3 ripe heirloom tomatoes
- 1 green bell pepper
- 4 radishes
- 1 cucumber
- 2 spring onions
- 1 cup black olives
- 1 clove garlic
- 8 leaves basil
- 1 pinch thyme leaves
- 8 anchovies fillets
- 4 eggs
- 5 oz canned tuna
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 splash red wine vinegar
- to taste table salt
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TRADITIONAL NICOISE CUISINE
Nicoise Cuisine recalls the glaring sun, green olive oil, fresh vegetables, salted anchovies, and bright colors in me.
Among the French regional cuisines, the cuisine originally from Cote d'Azur is most near to the other cuisines typical of the Mediterranean basin.
Forget the sophisticated sauces and ingredients that typically symbolize the French tradition worldwide. Provencal cuisine is a feast of flavors as simple as sharp and persistent.
Vegetables are an essential part of the French East-Southern tradition: the recipes of this cuisine celebrate the importance and variety of vegetables, often chosen depending on the season.
Ratatouille, Tapenade, Salade Nicoise, Eggplant Caviar are just a few examples among dozens of recipes based on vegetables.
The Anchovies preserved in salt have been the main seasoning of the Cuisine Nicoise for centuries: They were less expensive of the salt because not subject to high taxes.
The anchovies Nicoise had been very popular and exported in other regions like Piedmont, where the protagonist of a famous Italian appetizer is the Bagna cauda.
Besides anchovies, The most important seasoning is, without a doubt, olive oil, followed by Provencal herbs, like thyme, rosemary, basil, or marjoram.
The bread is another critical ingredient of Nicoise cuisine: impossible not to mention the Pan Bagnat, a tasty and straightforward sandwich filled with tuna and vegetables, and the Pissaladiere, flatbread seasoned with olives, onions, and sardines.
SALADE NICOISE HISTORY
The recipe that most recalls the majority of the ingredients typical of this region is the Salade Nicoise.
The origin of the Salade Nicoise is probably dated to the 18th Century. At that time, tomatoes in cuisine started to be popular after a long period of distrusts: previously there had been considered toxic for centuries!
In the beginning, the Salad Nicoise was just Tomatoes cut in quarters and seasoned with mashed anchovies previously preserved in salt. Indeed, the oldest cookbooks describe this recipe as a simple tomato salad: the writer Jules Romains introduced the name Salade Nicoise in his novel "Men of Good Will" (1918).
Depending on the seasonality, other original ingredients are basil, local black olives, green bell peppers, scallions, and radish.
The original version does not include any cooked ingredients, mayonnaise, mustard, cereals, and legumes, except for fresh fava beans when they are in season.
Traditionally, the bowl is previously brushed with a clove of garlic to give a little flavor to the Salade.
Herbs are another essential ingredient of this recipe. The famous French chef Auguste Escoffier used to season Salade Nicole with a vinaigrette composed of olive oil, chervil, tarragon, and chives.
SALADE NICOISE: TRADITIONAL VS CONTEMPORARY VARIATIONS
Over the years, the Salade Nicose has been subject to several variations.
The former mayor of Nice Jacques Medecin (1966-1990), probably was the first to add sliced cucumber into his salad, attracting the wrath of local gourmet and food critics. By the way, currently, cucumber is one of the most loved ingredients of Salade Nicose!
Preserved tuna is another famous addition, and it's part of the protein commonly used along with anchovies and boiled eggs. It was common to use one protein choosing among these in origin. Nowadays, it is usually adding as many proteins as you prefer.
Some love to add toasted croutons to the salad. In this case, I prefer to respect the tradition and serve the bread aside.
SALADE NICOISE TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS
ANCHOVIES – the tradition wants the anchovies preserved into the salt. If you're going to use them, you need to clean the salt under running water and debone the fish. Otherwise, you can opt for the anchovies preserved in oil.
TUNA - The tuna is a critical ingredient, and a cheap tuna can ruin all your efforts.
VINAIGRETTE – Traditionally, the Nicoise is seasoned with olive oil, salt, and local herbs.
As I said, the famous Chef Escoffier used to mix these ingredients and shake to create a vinaigrette. Others prefer to pour the olive oil and toss it along with the other ingredients.
You want the garlic present but not invasive: it is common to brush the bowl with a clove of garlic to obtain a gentle taste.
Finally, red wine vinegar is considered a variation, so it's optional. I like it and for me is a critical ingredient.
PREPARING IN ADVANCE – It is not possible preparing in advance Salade Nicoise. Still, you can speed up the preparation, cleaning, and cutting all the ingredients up to 1 hour earlier and compose the salad except the seasoning. Season and toss the salad just before serving.
SALADE NICOISE RECIPE
SALADE NICOISE RECIPE - Traditional French salad with eggs, tuna and anchovies
Salade Nicoise is a simple and tasty salad and one of the most famous dishes of Southern French cuisine. This recipe is rich in history and can be prepared easily in a few minutes. It is a great choice to start a wonderful Mediterranean meal!
Ingredients
- 1 head green lettuce
- 3 ripe heirloom tomatoes
- 1 green bell pepper
- 4 radishes
- 1 cucumber
- 2 spring onions
- 1 cup black olives
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 pinch thyme leaves
- 8 leaves basil
- 8 anchovies fillets
- 4 eggs
- 5 oz canned tuna
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 splash red wine vinegar
- to taste table salt
Instructions
SALTED ANCHOVIES
- If you prefer to follow the tradition and use salted anchovies, you need to desalt them; otherwise, pass to the next step.
- In this case, open and debone the anchovies gently with your fingers.
- Then, discard the salt with a solution composed of half water and half vinegar. In case, repeat the vinegar and water bath.
COOKING THE EGGS
- Fill up a pot with water and bring it to a boil. Then, add 2 tbsp of salt.
- Now take the eggs, best if at room temperature, and gently put them into the boiling water with the help of a slotted spoon.
- Boil the water until your preferred hardness: I like to cook them for 8 minutes.
- Finally, rinse the eggs under running cold water or into an iced bath to stop the cooking.
PREPARING THE VEGETABLES
- First, rinse and wipe all the vegetables, cleaning any trace of dirt.
- If you bought not previously washed lettuce head, separate the leaves with a knife, then wash and rinse them at least three times.
- Now, cut the garlic clove into half and brush the serving bowl with the garlic to give it a delicate taste.
- At this point, cut the bell pepper in half and discard the seeds and the white parts.
- Then, lay the halves and reduce them into sticks ¼ inch wide.
- Reduce the radishes and the cucumber into extremely thin rounds.
- Cut the tomatoes in quarters or eights, depending on your taste.
- At this point, reduce the white part of the spring onions into rounds.
- Finally, pour all the vegetables into the bowl season with the garlic clove, along with the thyme and hand-broken basil leaves.
TUNA, ANCHOVIES, AND OTHER PROTEINS
- Now, drain the tuna and the anchovies from the oil.
- Then, crack and gently peel the eggs, reducing them into quarters.
- Finally, add the proteins to the bowl.
SEASONING THE SALADE NICOISE
- Before serving, add the extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, and table salt.
- Toss well and serve immediately!
Nutrition Information
Yield
4Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 356Total Fat 24gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 19gCholesterol 208mgCarbohydrates 16gFiber 6gSugar 6gProtein 21g
The writers and publishers of this blog are not nutritionists or registered dietitians. All information presented and written within our blog are intended for informational purposes only. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for, nor does it replace, professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any concerns or questions about your health, you should always consult with a physician or other health-care professional. The writers and publishers of this blog are not responsible for adverse reactions, effects, or consequences resulting from the use of any recipes or suggestions herein or hereafter. Under no circumstances will this blog or its owners be responsible for any loss or damage resulting from your reliance on nutritional information given by this site. By using this blog and its content, you agree to these terms.
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