Nicoise Salade - Julia Child's

By CheeseDiva

When Nora Ephron, director of the Julia Child movie "Julie and Julia" appeared on "Good Morning America," we cooked up one of Julia's favorite dishes, her Salade Nicoise.

Ingredients

• 1 head of Boston Lettuce, large, washed and dried
• 2 to 3 Tbs virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed, blanched, refreshed in cold water, and dried
• 2/3 to 1 cup salad dressing, such as the Oil and Lemon Dressing (recipe HERE)
• 3 or 4 fine ripe red tomatoes, peeled, if you wish, and cored, quartered and seasoned before serving
• 8 to 10 ounces oil-packed tuna, drained and flaked
• 1 quart of French Potato salad (recipe HERE)
• 8 hard-boiled eggs, halved lengthwise
• 1 can flat anchovy filets packed in oil, opened and drained just before serving
• 1/2 cup black Nicoise-type olives
• 3 or 4 Tbs. capers
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
• 2 strips of fresh lemon peel, 1 by 2 1/2 inches each
• 1/4 tsp. salt, plus more, if needed
• 1/2 Tbs. Dijon-type prepared mustard
• 1 to 2 Tbs. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 cup fine fresh oil
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds "boiling" potatoes, all the same size and shape if possible
• 1 to 1 1/2 tsp per quart of water
• 2 Tbs shallots or scallions, finely minced
• Salt
• White pepper, freshly ground
• 1/4 cup chicken stock (or potato-cooking water)
• 1 1/2 Tbs wine vinegar
• 2 to 3 Tbs fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 to 3 Tbs light olive oil, optional

Details

Servings 1
Cooking time 15mins
Adapted from abcnews.go.com

Preparation

Step 1

Cooking Directions

Mince the lemon peel very finely with the salt, scrape it into the mortar or bowl, and mash into a fine paste with the pestle or spoon.
Beat in the mustard and 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice; when thoroughly blended start beating in the oil by droplets to make a homogeneous sauce—easier when done with a small electric mixer.
Beat in droplets more lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.

1 1/2 pounds "boiling" potatoes, all the same size and shape if possible
1 to 1 1/2 tsp per quart of water
2 Tbs shallots or scallions, finely minced
Salt
White pepper, freshly ground
1/4 cup chicken stock (or potato-cooking water)
1 1/2 Tbs wine vinegar
2 to 3 Tbs fresh parsley, chopped
2 to 3 Tbs light olive oil, optional
Shortly before serving, line a handsome, large and wide salad bowl or a roomy platter with lettuce leaves, drizzle a little olive oil on them, and dust with a sprinkling of salt.

Toss the beans in a mixing bowl with a little of the dressing, and correct seasoning.

Drizzle a spoonful or two of the dressing over the tomatoes.

Season the tuna lightly with a spoonful or two of dressing.

Place the potatoes in the center of the bowl or platter; mound beans at strategic intervals, interspersing them with tomatoes and mounds of tuna.

Ring the salad with the eggs and curl an anchovy filet on top of each.

Spoon a little more vinaigrette over all; scatter on olives, capers, and parsley. Serve as soon as possible.