I made this for my mother and I for lunch today. This salad involves a lot of fiddly effort. But persevere, because it is so worth it! I got all my ingredients at Leo's supermarket (bar the fresh tuna, which I got at a nearby fishmonger).
I found the method for the recipe in the book to be a bit confusing, so I've decided to itemize it here for your convenience. You have to prepare each of the ingredients individually, and then mix them together at the end.
1. Steam potatoes (I used kipfler, because this is what I found at Leo's. I was ecstatic to see an unusual species of potato and really wanted to try it). Then slice them into thick coins, sprinkle with pepper and olive oil.
kipfler potatoes
2. Marinate tuna strips in olive oil, red wine vinegar and soy sauce.
3. Cover cherry tomatoes in boiling water, peel and quarter.
4. Soak salted capers in water.
5. Blanch green beans. (We happened to have fresh ones which our neighbour gave to us from her garden. Score!)
6. Boil eggs (Nigella says the eggs are optional, but when my mum is eating, eggs are not optional, they're mandatory).
7. Wash salad leaves (I used baby spinach)
8. Get out some anchovies (Nigella says to use proper fresh ones, but we couldn't get any. And I just love the super-salty hairy little anchovies from the jar)
9. Make your dressing. (I pounded a garlic clove with salt, white wine vinegar and olive oil)
ingredients
Once that's all done, you can sear the tuna, and toss all the ingredients together.
Salade Niçoise
It was so beautiful! Every element of the salad melded together so well to form a complete and filling meal. It was just gorgeous. I think the dressing really made it. Delicious!
Check out that egg yolk. Just how I like it.
mega closeup... mmmmmm.....
3 comments:
thats an interesting way to make nicoise....i havent really tried using fresh tuna as we dont have it here cept for some certain up market place.
Salade Niçoise is one of my favourite salads but I've never used Nigella's recipe. The one I've used is a lot simpler... ;) Your salad looks amazing! Well done! :)
Ooooh - gorgeous photos!!! Those yolks are seriously drool-worthy.
Hey, I'm having a Nigella discussion on my site at the moment - the whole baking by weight VS volume thing. I've got a theory that the American's complain about innacuracy in her recipes because the American editors haven't done a good job converting them from weight to volume measurements. You were suggested as a good person to ask, as you're doing so much Nigella work atm!
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