Niçoise Charcuterie by Abby Reing
Salade niçoise (pronounced nee-swaz), perfectly captures the beauty of spring. The fresh vegetables, acidic dressing, and vibrant yellow egg yolks are impossible to resist snapping a photo of. Typically served cold, the blanched green beans retain their crunchy texture, and the potatoes won’t wilt the salad greens. Tuna or anchovies are traditionally included, but for a vegetarian picnic, I prefer to omit them. Soft boiled eggs are a delectable protein, without the hint of the sulfuric chalkiness that often plagues hard boiled eggs.
Don’t believe my praise just yet? Gordon Ramsey himself has declared this dish as
“the finest summer salad of all”,
recounting making it on a yacht south of France. Talk about summer paradise! While this dish makes a wonderful salad, it also makes a lovely charcuterie-style spread at a picnic or barbecue. Drizzle or dip into the salad dressing, and enjoy sides of olives, bread, and nuts!
8 and a half minutes is golden, literally. The resulting yolks are canary yellow and creamy, without any drippiness.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Dressing:
2. Add green beans to the water, along with a small handful of salt, cooking for 2-4 minutes. The beans should be slightly tender but still crisp and bright green. Plunge beans into an ice bath.
1 lb green beans 1 lb fingerling potatoes, halved 4 eggs Handful of cherry tomatoes Handful of mixed nuts Olives Fresh bread
1 Tbsp dijon mustard 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil Salt and pepper (to taste)
1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add eggs, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 8 minutes and 30 seconds. Plunge eggs into an ice bath to stop the cooking.
3. Add potatoes to the water, flet boil/simmer for about 10 minutes. You should be able to cut through one with a fork. Plunge into cold water. In the meantime, mix together the dressing to taste. 4. Drain the vegetables, peel the eggs, and cut them in half using a lightly oiled knife. 5. Assemble all of the ingredients on a plate, charcuterie board, or over fresh salad greens. Bon appetit!
8
