Nicoise Salad

Nicoise Salad (salad in the style of Nice, France) is one of my favorite summertime dishes. It makes use of summer’s fresh produce; it’s healthy; and it’s cool and refreshing on a hot sultry day. You can vary the recipe somewhat to suit your family’s tastes and to accomodate what’s fresh at the market, but this is my favorite variation:

Nicoise Salad

• Romaine lettuce
• Hardboiled eggs, cut in 1/8s
• Cherry tomatoes or small, vine-ripe tomatoes, cut in wedges
• Boiled new potatoes
• Black olives, ideally Nicoise olives (they are the tiny, black olives available in jars)
• Canned tuna packed in water, drained and flaked (You can also use fresh, grilled tuna in pieces)
• Capers
• One or two anchovy filets
• Green beans, steamed and cooled

Assemble the ingredients over a bed of lettuce. Traditionally, this is a composed salad. (that’s where the ingredients are artisically presented in individually sections rather than all mixed together.) Drizzle with Mustard Vinaigrette (see recipe below). Serve with crusty, whole grain bread and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc.

Sandy’s Mustard Vinaigrette

• 6 Tbsp. good quality Olive Oil
• 2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
• Fresh thyme sprigs, finely chopped
• Fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• Freshly ground white pepper

Top all ingredients in a glass jar. Screw on lid and shake until the dressing is emulsified (thickens), about 20-30 seconds.

^{(photo © Newscom)}