Salmon Nicoise Salad

 

This is a beautiful and both healthy and delicious dish; I truly love every component of this salad.  However! The caper vinaigrette is the star, in my opinion, and I often dream of it drizzled over simple boiled potatoes OR just hard boiled eggs and green beans. I plan to make just those three ingredients with the vinaigrette this week, in fact, and serve it as a side.

This is a great recipe to make when you're craving something healthy, filling...but also really tasty!

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SALMON NICOISE SALAD

serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

For the caper vinaigrette:

• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar (can also use regular white vinegar if in a pinch)
• 2 tablespoons shallot, minced
• 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste 

For the salad:

• 6 cups little gem or Boston lettuce
• 8 ounces small potatoes, red or gold
• 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar (or regular vinegar)
• 10 ounces haricot verts, trimmed
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 6 radishes thinly sliced (optional)
• 4 hard boiled eggs, cut in half
• ¼ cup castelvetrano olives

 For the salmon:

• 1 pound salmon cut into 4, 4 oz filets
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place the potatoes in a small pot and cover with water.  Bring to a boil and cook for 8 minutes. Drain the potatoes and set aside to cool then cut in half and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar, salt and pepper.
2. Fill a medium bowl with ice water and set aside.  Heat 2 inches of water in a skillet to boiling, season with salt and blanch the haricot verts until just tender 1-2 minutes, remove from the boiling water and place in the ice bath to stop them from cooking and maintain the color.
3. Toss the cut tomatoes with a little olive oil and salt and pepper.  Combine all vinaigrette ingredients into a bowl and whisk to combine, or place into a mason jar and shake.
4. Dry the salmon filets with a paper towel and sprinkle the salmon with salt and pepper.  Heat a nonstick pan over high heat.  Add the oil to the hot pan and cook the salmon flesh side down first 2-3 minutes until there's a golden crust.  Flip the salmon and continue to cook 2-3 minutes more.  Remove the salmon and serve flaked over the salad.
5. To build the salad, divide the lettuces between 4 plates, top each with a pile of potatoes, haricots verts, cherry tomatoes, sliced radishes, boiled eggs and olives.  Top with flaked salmon and drizzle heavily with the caper vinaigrette.  Enjoy!

recipe by Gaby Dalkin from What's Gaby Cooking (thank you, Gaby!)