Although the book offers plenty of modern takes on the classics, most of the dishes skew traditional, which is helpful for things like this Salade Niçoise, a staple served in restaurants far outside France.
Made with ingredients local to the Provençal town of Nice, such as olives, oil-cured tuna and anchovies, this hearty salad — which according to custom ought not to be served over lettuce — can be replicated at home if you aren’t afraid of blanching beans and boiling beets. You can buy already softened beets, like the ones from a company called Love Beets, or even though it sounds blasphemous and very un-Saveur-like, canned whole potatoes.
Salade Niçoise
For the dressing:
1 clove garlic
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. dijon mustard
1 shallot, minced
For the salad:
1 lb. small new potatoes, boiled until tender
6 oz. yellow baby beets, boiled until tender, peeled
6 oz. red baby beets, boiled until tender, peeled
8 oz. haricot verts or green beans, blanched
12 oz. cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup black niçoise olives
8 small radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced
8 salt-packed anchovies, rinsed and drained
4 hard-cooked eggs, halved lengthwise
3 (4-oz.) cans tuna packed in olive oil, drained
1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, for garnish
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions, for garnish
Make the dressing: Mince garlic on a cutting board and sprinkle heavily with salt. Using a knife, scrape garlic and salt together to form a smooth paste. Transfer paste to a bowl and whisk in oil, lemon juice, mustard, shallot, salt, and pepper; set aside.
Make the salad: Arrange all ingredients in separate rows on a large serving platter; drizzle dressing over all ingredients, season with salt and pepper, and garnish with basil and scallions just before serving. Serves 4-6.
— From "Saveur: The New Classics Cookbook" ($40, Weldon Owen)
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