The Villages Gourmet Club Recipe

Salade Niçoise
by Chef Jacques Pepin

Serves: 6. Preparation time: 20 minutes.

Salade Nicoise

1 6 oz. Can of Tuna in Olive Oil (drained and crumbled)

8 C. Salad Greens (Boston, Red-Leaf or Romaine)

3 Ripe Tomatoes (cut into 6 wedges each)

3 Hard Boiled Eggs (peeled and quartered)

½ C. Mustard Vinaigrette Dressing

4 Large Garlic Cloves (peeled and sliced thin)

6 Scallions (cleaned and minced)

12 Basil Leaves (coarsely shredded)

1 2 oz. Can Anchovy Fillets in Oil (drained)

6 oz. of Olives (72 Niçoise Olives or 36 Kalamata Olives)

½ t. Salt

• Wash the Salad Greens thoroughly and dry well using a Salad Spinner if available. Place the Vinaigrette Dressing in a large bowl and add the Garlic and Scallions. Stir them together. Add the Salad Greens and the Salt and toss the mixture well.

• Arrange the Salad Mix equally on 6 serving plates or bowls. Decoratively arrange 2 Anchovy Fillets, 2 T. of Crumbled Tuna, 3 Tomato Wedges, 2 pieces of Egg, some Shredded Basil and some Olives all on the top of the Greens. Do not mix the additions. Serve cold with Pita Toasts or Fougasse if desired.

"Salade Niçoise" - Pronounced "Sal-ahd Nees-waahz". It originated in the city of Nice, France (on the Med) and always contains Greens, Tuna, Boiled Egg, Olives, Anchovies and dressed with a Vinaigrette Dressing. In the south of France it is served in Bistros to Luxury Restaurants. It grew popular throughout Europe at the beginning of the 20th century. This is chef Pepin's version. Variations with Potatoes, Rice, Green Beans, Cucumbers, Peppers, Artichokes, Capers, Avocados, Raw Onions, etc. are frowned on in France, as are the chefs that do it. Americans seem more forgiving.