Niçoise Salad with a Caper Dijon Vinaigrette
I love a classic Niçoise Salad with a colorful assembly of vegetables and vibrant herbs. This Niçoise Salad with a Caper Dijon Vinaigrette is my adaptation of the deliciously beautiful French dish. I maintain the integrity of the dish with crisp green beans, olives, tomatoes, hard boiled eggs, and potatoes. I simply swap the protein and alter the vinaigrette for – Voila – a Four Seasons of Autumn spin on Niçoise Salad.
What it takes to make a Niçoise Salad
High quality ingredients are truly needed in this dish. Organic pasture-raised eggs, a good extra virgin olive oil, and peak season vegetables will make this salad standout above any other. That’s usually my rule of thumb for any dish but I think high quality ingredients are especially important in a salad. You really want to use the most vibrant and seasonal ingredients in any salad.
A traditional Niçoise Salad, pronounced “nee-SWAHZ,” has tuna. I stick with seafood but swapped tuna for blackened salmon. I also boil AND roast the potatoes. Roasting the potatoes gives the salad a little extra crunch. Traditionally a cured black olive is used in this salad, but I like the combination of castronovo and kalamata.
A combination of lettuce and herbs are the base of this salad. A mix of arugula and romaine lettuce with lots of freshly chopped herbs creates a beautiful combination of greens. I love the peppery arugula alongside the crisp romaine and vibrant herbs. I use a mix of parsley, basil, chives and mint.
The tangy vinaigrette brings the all-star cast of ingredients together in a beautifully tasty way. The mix of Dijon mustard, shallots, capers and lemon juice emulsifies with a good quality olive oil creates an amazingly pleasing dressing. This dressing is on repeat for a lot of my salads. The ingredients are simple but the result is unmatched.
Nicoise Salad with Dijon Caper Vinaigrette
Ingredients
For the Dressing
- 1 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon capers
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
For the Salad
- ½ pound green beans trimmed
- 3 cups of lettuce I used Arugula and Romaine
- 1 pint tomatoes sliced in half
- 2 hardboiled eggs
- ¼ cup green olives I use castronovo and Kalamata
- ½ cup mixed fresh herbs such as tarragon, chives, mint, basil and parsley
For the Potatoes
- 1/2 pound baby potatoes
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- Salt and Pepper
For the Salmon
- 4 7-8oz Salmon fillets
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic power
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1 tbps olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly cracked pepper
Instructions
For the Salmon
- In a mixing bowl whisk together paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, thyme and oregano.
- Drizzle the olive oil over the salmon and sprinkle mixture evenly over tops of salmon fillets.
- Bake the salmon in a 375 degree oven for about 15 minutes or until cooked through.
For the Potatoes
- Boil the potatoes until fork tender.
- Drain the potatoes and place on a well oiled cookie tray. Toss them with some more olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Bake the potatoes in a 425 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until crispy.
For the dressing
- Add all ingredients but the olive oil to a bowl. Mix well. Then slowly add the olive oil while whisking. Pour the dressing in a mason jar and mix well before adding to the salad.
Assemble the Salad
- Cook the potatoes and salmon first. Set aside while assembling the salad.
- Arrange the greens and herbs on a large serving platter. Drizzle about a teaspoon of dressing over the leaves.
- Add the potatoes in a cluster on the edge of the platter on top of the lettuce and drizzle lightly with dressing.
- Arrange the green beans, tomatoes, olives and eggs on top of the greens.
- Add the salmon to the platter.
- Serve the salad with additional dressing on the side.
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