Salmon Nicoise Salad

One thing that surprises me about New York City is how difficult it can be to get a damn good salad. Don’t get me wrong, Sweetgreen is amazing, love it. But, go to almost any sit-down restaurant and you’ll rarely find a delectable salad filled with an array of vegetables and fresh protein that’s actually filling. I’m talking a salad that’s as good on the palate as it looks on the plate. Sometimes a plate of beets and goat cheese cut it, but when you want a full-on salad MEAL chances are you’re better off making your own. And for a hearty, nourishing salad that’s packed with protein, healthy fats and greens the nicoise doe not disappoint. 

The nicoise (pronounced nēˈswä) salad originated in the French city of Nice and is traditionally made with anchovies or tuna. This is one salad you’ll find at most French bistros that comes with potatoes, green beens and eggs. I decided to make this version with a simple baked salmon surrounded by a rainbow of colors and flavors with some dill-stewed red potatoes, kalamata olives, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, shallots, and eggs topped with a garlic-dijon vinaigrette. 

I’m telling you, this is the stuff of salad dreams. The creamy potatoes mixed with the salty olives, crunchy asparagus, delicate, oily salmon and spicy shallots create one perfect union of flavors.

If you want to get down while you while you whip this bad boy up, check out this Spotify playlist of seductive French tracks I put together for you here. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Wild salmon filets 

5-7 small red potatoes, rinsed and sliced in half 

2 eggs, boiled

Asparagus, ends trimmed 

Green beans, ends trimmed

Baby spinach 

Arugula

Tropicana lettuce

1 large shallot

Cherry tomatoes 

Kalamata Olives, pitted 

1 tbsp capers 

Fresh dill 

1 tbsp olive oil, to coat fish

Sea salt and black pepper

Sliced lemon to top fish

For the Garlic Dijon Vinaigrette 

1 clove garlic 

3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 

1 tbsp dijon mustard 

1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar 

Squeeze of half a lemon

Sea salt and black pepper

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To prepare the fish, rinse filets under cold water and pat dry. Place the fish in a glass baking dish, and season with salt, pepper, red chili flakes and olive oil. Roast the fish in the oven for about 15-20 minutes. 

While fish is roasting, prepare the vegetables and boil the potatoes, eggs, asparagus and green beans (separately). To add more flavor to the potatoes, add several sprigs of fresh dill to the pot along with 1-2 tablespoons of salt. 

I prefer green beans and asparagus to have a slight crunch when you bite into it. To avoid overcooking these greens, the best cooking process is going to be to blanch them. Using a sauté pan on medium-high heat, with about half an inch water, a splash olive oil and salt and pepper, drop the asparagus and green beans in boiling water for about 3-5 minutes. Then remove from heat, drain and cool off in a bowl of ice water or serve warm if preferred. 

Once potatoes, eggs and salmon are done cooking, you’re ready to plate. Create a bed of lettuce however you like. I started with the tropicana lettuce on the outer edges and filled the middle of the plate with a mix of spinach and arugula. Drizzle some of the vinaigrette over the lettuce. Then place the baked salmon in the middle of the plate and add the rest of the ingredients in separate piles around the salmon. Garnish with dill and capers and another drizzle of the dressing. Et voila!