Nicoise Vinaigrette Recipes

NICOISE VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients except oil in a blender; finely chop. With blender running, slowly add oil until completely incorporated.

SALADE NICOISE WITH VINAIGRETTE DRESSING

Steps:

• Mix dressing together by mixing all ingredients in jar.
• Shake again, just before serving.
• Mix potatoes and mayonnaise to coat thoroughly.
• Toss tomatoes lightly in a small amount of vinaigrette.
• In a separate bowl, toss green beans in a small amount of vinaigrette, let marinate while preparing the rest of the salad.
• When ready to serve, toss lettuce lightly in a small amount of vinaigrette until leaves are barely coated.
• Place around the edge and bottom on the bowl, using all the leaves.
• Place tuna in the center of the bowl.
• Arrange tomatoes, green beans, potatoes around the outside in an interesting pattern.
• Decorate with olives, onion slices, green pepper rounds, celery and eggs.
• Garnish with herbs and anchovies.
• Serve immediately with additional vinaigrette dressing.

CARPACCIO OF TUNA WITH NICOISE VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• In a medium nonstick skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant and cook until tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Repeat the procedure with the zucchini, using an additional 2 teaspoons oil, and cooking for 2 minutes. Repeat with the fennel, using another 2 teaspoons oil, and cooking for 2 minutes. Cool the vegetables completely. Add the tomatoes, olives, remaining 4 tablespoons oil, the vinegar, thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 8 hours.
• For each serving, brush the inside of a large dinner plate with some of the oil. Place 1 tuna slice on the plate and cover with a large piece of strong plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a meat pounder, pound the tuna until it is so thin it covers the inside of the plate. Leaving the plastic wrap intact, refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 8 hours. When ready to serve, carefully peel off the plastic wrap. Brush the tuna with the remaining olive oil and sprinkle with the salt. Spoon the vinaigrette over the tuna, spreading it evenly over the surface. Serve immediately.

ROUND 2 RECIPE - NICOISE SALAD WITH LEMON GARLIC VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, zest, garlic, oil, and parsley and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Put the snow peas in boiling water for 2 minutes, and then shock them in cold water to stop them from overcooking.
• In a large bowl, put the lettuce, onions, and snow peas and toss with the vinaigrette. Top with the almonds, capers, tuna, and sliced eggs. Serve immediately.

SALADE NIçOISE WITH YOGURT VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Using a fork or a small whisk, mix together the vinegar and lemon juice with the garlic, salt, pepper and Dijon mustard. Whisk in the olive oil and yogurt.
• Steam the potatoes above 1 inch simmering water for 10 to 15 minutes, until tender. Transfer to a large salad bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the tuna and toss with 1/4 cup of the dressing while the potatoes are hot.
• Bring a pot of water to a boil, and fill a bowl with ice water. When the water comes to a boil, add a generous amount of salt and add the green beans. Cook 4 to 5 minutes, until just tender. Transfer to the ice water, then drain. Dry on paper towels. Add to the salad bowl, along with the red or green pepper, cucumber, hard-boiled eggs, lettuce and herbs. Garnish with the tomatoes, anchovies and olives, and serve.

NIçOISE SALAD WITH BASIL AND ANCHOVY-LEMON VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Make the vinaigrette: Using the flat side of a knife, smash garlic clove, anchovy fillets and salt into a paste. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in lemon juice, zest and mustard. Using a whisk, slowly pour in olive oil while stirring constantly. Adjust seasoning as needed.
• Place potatoes in a medium pot and cover them with 2 or 3 inches of cold water. Salt the water and bring to a boil. When water comes to a boil, continue cooking potatoes until fork tender, 10 to 15 minutes more. Add haricots verts during the last 1 minute of cooking (if using regular green beans, add them during the last 2 to 3 minutes of cooking depending on how thin they are). Drain vegetables and let sit until cool enough to handle but still quite warm. Halve potatoes, transfer to a small bowl along with the haricots verts and dress everything to coat with some (but not all) of the vinaigrette. When completely cool, toss in chopped basil.
• On a large platter or four individual plates, arrange potatoes and haricots verts, radishes or cucumbers, tomatoes and tuna, and hard-boiled eggs, if using. Scatter olives over the top and drizzle with remaining vinaigrette. Serve garnished with freshly ground black pepper, flaky sea salt and torn basil leaves.

SAUTEED SWORDFISH WITH NIçOISE VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• In a skillet, preferably non-stick, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking and in it sauté the swordfish steaks, patted dry, for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or until they are just cooked through. While the fish is cooking, in a small bowl stir together the olives, the roasted red pepper, the parsley, the capers, the anchovy, the garlic paste, the scallion, the vinegar, the remaining 3 1/2 tablespoons oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the swordfish to plates, spoon the sauce over it, and serve it with lemon wedges.