Christina Dodd’s Niçoise Salad

I made this Niçoise Salad for a party at author Debbie Macomber’s and again to celebrate BECAUSE I’M WATCHING hitting the exclusive Amazon Best of Romance list. Niçoise Salad is the perfect dish because it’s so versatile (you can tweak the dressing and the herbs as you like) and it’s gorgeous with the many colors and textures.

Dressing:
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1-2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
2 crushed garlic cloves
Salt and pepper

Shake or whisk. 

Ingredients:
Six small red potatoes, cut in half and simmered until just done. Pour some of the dressing over hot potatoes and place in refrigerator until cold.
4 eggs, hardboiled, cooled, peeled and sliced in half.
8 ounces green beans, blanched briefly (3-4 minutes) and immediately plunged into ice water. When cool, place them on a paper towel.
8 cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup nicoise olives or other black briny olive
About 5 radishes, sliced
Red or yellow bell pepper
Good quality tuna: You can get tuna and cook it yourself, or do what I did, buy 2-3 cans of high-end Spanish tuna and use that. I thought it was great. I’ve also had Niçoise Salad with poached salmon and enjoyed it very much. Any kind of quality seafood would work.

You can use anchovies if you wish on the salad or crushed in the dressing … but I use anchovies sparingly since so many people don’t like them!

Arrange the salad on a platter any way you think looks pretty, trickle the dressing over the vegetables, then sprinkle with:
Chopped fresh thyme (I use lemon thyme, it’s easy to grow, but any kind will do)
Chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoon capers
If it’s spring, you can decorate with rosemary blossoms which are a beautiful lavender and have a subtle flavor.

Serve with a fresh, grassy Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc. Magnificent!
Want something to read while you enjoy your salad? A DAUGHTER OF FAIR VERONA is available from your favorite bookstore or online in paper, audiobook or ebook.

Meet your author/hostess!

Want to know more about Christina’s books?
Visit her printable book list sorted by genre/series/in order.
And her Books by Series page with clickable covers.