Salad Niçoise

Salad Niçoise is a French classic loaded with Mediterranean flavor — briny olives, tender potatoes & green beans, and a bright lemon vinaigrette. No fancy technique required, just good ingredients arranged with a little care. You can add capers, shredded carrots, swap the sardines for tuna or smoked trout- so many variations!

Ingredients

• 0.3 cups extra virgin olive oil
• 0.3 cups lemon juice
• 1 tablespoons minced shallot
• 1 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoons whole grain mustard
• 0.5 teaspoons kosher salt, for the dressing
• 0.5 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• honey to taste
• 2 cups petite white or red potatoes
• 6 ounces fresh green beans, stems trimmed
• 3-4 ounces sardines in olive oil, drained
• 5 ounces olives, drained (about 1 cup)
• 0.5 cups thinly sliced red onion
• 8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved (about 1½ cups)
• 4 large eggs, hard-boiled and halved or quartered

Steps

1. Make the vinaigrette: Combine 0.3 cups extra virgin olive oil, 0.3 cups lemon juice, 1 tablespoons minced shallot, 1 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoons whole grain mustard, 0.5 teaspoons kosher salt, for the dressing, and 0.5 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Seal and shake until fully blended. Add honey to taste Set aside.

2. Boil the potatoes: Place 2 cups petite white or red potatoes in a medium pot and cover with water by about an inch. Bring to a boil, then stir in 1-2 teaspoons kosher salt. Reduce to a steady simmer and cook until fork-tender, about 15 minutes. Keep the hot water in the pot for the next step.

3.Dress the warm potatoes: Lift the potatoes out with a slotted spoon or spider, halve them, and transfer to a bowl while still warm. Drizzle with 2-3 tablespoons of the vinaigrette and set aside to cool.

4. Blanch the green beans: Drop 6 ounces fresh green beans, stems trimmed into the same pot of hot water and simmer for several  minutes, just until bright green and just tender. Drain and set aside to cool.

5. Assemble the platter: Arrange 3 ounces sardines in olive oil, drained, the dressed potatoes, green beans, 8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved (about 1½ cups), 4 large eggs, hard-boiled and halved or quartered, 5 ounces olives, drained (about 1 cup), 0.5 cups thinly sliced red onion on a large platter. Season with salt and pepper, then drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette or serve it alongside.

Notes

This comes together best served at room temperature or lightly chilled. Feel free to swap in tuna for the canned sardines for a different protein punch — either way, the vinaigrette is the real workhorse here.