I was walking around Whole Foods one day after class and I saw something deliciously interesting on the shelf. A smoked salmon nicoise salad! I had only heard of nicoise salad with tuna. When I visited Paris a couple years ago I had a traditional nicoise and it was really good. So I thought what was going on with a smoked salmon version? I checked it out it still had all the ingredients I recognized the boiled egg and the capers to name a couple, but there was asparagus instead of haricot verts (green beans). Nice…so the next day I made it for dinner and it was delicious!! Even husband who is not a big fan of salmon really enjoyed it. I did add some sliced avocado, I know it does not belong in a nicoise but I was craving it. I just bought some yummy pickled cherry peppers so I added those on the side, so good!! I also used my favorite dijon salad dressing recipe with the salad and its a keeper.
Smoked Salmon Nicoise Salad
Ingredients: serving for two salads
4 oz. smoked salmon sliced in 1 inch pieces
2 hard boiled eggs cut in half
1 medium red potato boiled and sliced
2 tablespoons capers
1/2 small red onion chopped
10 stalks cooked asparagus
4 red cherry peppers-optional
1 bag lettuce mix
1/2 a sliced avocado-optional
Separate 1/2 of lettuce mix on two dinner plates. Seperate all ingredients in half, i.e. 2 oz. smoked salmon, 1 hard boiled egg, 1 Tablespoon capers, 1.4 chopped red onions, etc., between the two salads. Top with dressing and serve.
Dijon Viniagrette dressing
adapted from epicurious.com
2 Tablespoons minced shallots
1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Whisk together the mustard, shallot, sugar, salt, pepper, and vinegar in a small bowl, then add oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified. This dressing is so delicious add it to any salad, then add some gorgonzola…hmm so good!
Tags: dijon mustard vinaigrette, nicoise, salad, salmon
