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Recipe Detail Page
Niçoise Salad
Summer 2008
Capers are the pickled flower buds of Capparis spinosa, a Mediterranean shrub. Caperberries are its fruit. They are long stemmed and excellent in salads and, though not as salty or tart as capers, should be rinsed before using. This is not quite an authentic Niçoise Salad because I like to serve toasts with tapenade spread on them rather than add olives. It gives another layer of flavour. If quail eggs are not available use regular eggs and cook for 10 minutes.
Serves 6
Eight ¼-inch-thick (5-mm) slices baguette
1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil for brushing bread
¼ cup (50 mL) tapenade, store-bought or homemade
Dressing
1 tbsp (15 mL) Dijon mustard
1 tbsp (15 mL mayonnaise
1 tsp (5 mL) chopped garlic
1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh tarragon or 1 tsp (5 mL) dried
3 tbsp (45 mL) white wine vinegar
½ cup (125 mL) olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
12 mini red potatoes
4 oz (125 g) thin green beans
4 quail eggs
1 lb (500 g) tuna steaks, 1-inch (2.5-cm) thick
1 tbsp (15 mL) cracked black pepper
Salt, to sprinkle
2 tbsp (25 mL) olive oil
6 cups (1.5 L) mixed baby greens
1 cup (250 mL) cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cup (125 mL) red onion, thinly sliced
¼ cup (50 mL) caperberries
1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped parsley
1. Brush bread with olive oil. Grill bread slices until grill-marked and golden. Spread tapenade on each slice and reserve.
2. Whisk together Dijon, mayonnaise, garlic, tarragon and wine vinegar. Slowly whisk in oil. Season with salt and pepper and reserve.
3. Place potatoes in a pot of cold salted water and bring to boil over high heat. Boil for 5 to 10 minutes or until crisp-tender then add beans and quail eggs and boil 2 minutes longer. Drain well, remove quail eggs and cool. Toss potatoes and beans with ¼ cup (50 mL) vinaigrette. Shell eggs before finishing salad.
4. Coat tuna with peppercorns and sprinkle with salt. Add oil to skillet over high heat. When oil is very hot add tuna and sear on all 4 sides about 1 to 2 minutes per side or until still very rare in centre. Cool and slice into thin slices against the grain.
5. Line a large platter with greens and drizzle with dressing. Gently toss tomatoes and onions with dressing. Place potatoes, green beans, quail eggs, tomatoes, onions, caperberries in sections on top of greens. Top with tuna and drizzle with remaining dressing. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve crostini on the side.
Serves 6
