Warm Salmon Salad Nicoise

I decided to make a “Warm Salmon Salad Nicoise,” my take on the classic Niçoise. Because I was out of olives, I substituted capers for them in the dressing, and they worked quite well.

Niçoise salads (Salads Niçoise?) are a specialty of mine; they feature an ingenious mix of ingredients like lettuce, tomatoes, olives, tuna, eggs, green beans, and potatoes. The varied textures and bold blocks of color are fantastic.

It has all the elements I look for in a substantial supper salad, including a wide range of ingredients, a hearty protein, hard-boiled eggs with just-set yolks, and a posh French name

That week at the store, the asparagus just so happened to look a lot better than the green beans did. As for the canned tuna, we were out, but the salmon fillet in the fridge was excellent.

There are a few steps involved, but they’re all really easy. Healthy and delicious, this dish features plenty of herbs, warm, crispy grilled salmon, and a tart herbed lemon caper vinaigrette.

Don’t think about it, just do it!

Ingredients:

For the Dressing:

• 1 clove of garlic (minced)
• 1/3 cup of olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons of chopped basil
• 2 tablespoons of chopped scallion
• 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar
• 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon of minced shallot or red onion
• 1 tablespoon of capers
• 1 teaspoon of sugar or honey
• salt and pepper

For the Salad:

• 1 pound of small new potatoes (halved or quartered)
• 16 oz. of salmon fillet (450g)
• 4 eggs
• 3 medium tomatoes (cut into wedges)
• 1 bunch of thin asparagus spears or green beans
• washed and dried assorted lettuce
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Get started on the dressing first. Blend all the dressing ingredients together.
2. The eggs should be submerged in cold water in a small saucepan. Coax into a boil by increasing the heat. Once it reaches a boil, take it off the stove. Allow the eggs to rest in the boiling water for five minutes, then immediately move the eggs to a bowl of icy water. Dedicate a separate space for.
3. Prepare the potatoes by boiling them until they can be easily pierced with a fork, and the asparagus by sautéing them in oil with salt and pepper until they are just soft.
4. While everything else is happening, season your salmon with salt and pepper. A tablespoon of olive oil should be heated over medium heat in a cast-iron skillet or pan. Bring the salmon in and sear it on both sides. Take it down to a low simmer and cook, covered, until it’s cooked through but not over. Prepare the eggs by peeling them and slicing them in half lengthwise.
5. Prepare a bed of lettuce for the final assembly. Arrange the tomato wedges, asparagus, eggs, potatoes, and salmon on top of the salad in large, overlapping blocks of color. Pour the dressing over the top and serve.