Julia Child's Salade Nicoise for JC100 Noshing With the Nolands (2024)

Ingredients

• 1 large head of Boston lettuce, any leaf lettuce would do
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lb. green beans washed and ends removed (I don’t remove the tail)
• 2-3 ripe red tomatoes, cut into 8 pieces each
• 170 gm. can of tuna in broth and oil, drained and flaked
• French Potato Salad
• 1- 50 gm can of flat fillet anchovies
• 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cut in half
• 1/3 cup black sun-dried olives
• 1/3 cup kalamata olives
• Capers to garnish
• Roasted red pepper to garnish
• Parsley to garnish

FRENCH POTATO SALAD

• 8-10 new potatoes, boiled and warm
• 1 shallot finely minced
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/8 cup chicken stock
• 1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar

COOKING THE GREEN BEANS

• 1 lb. green beans
• 6 quarts rapidly boiling salted water
• A large bowl of ice water

SALAD DRESSING

• 6 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. dried mustard
• 2 Tbps. fresh basil, chopped
• Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Slice the warm potatoes in large slices and toss with remaining ingredients and set aside for 10 min. or if making ahead refrigerate.
2. Drop the prepared beans in the boiling water. Cover briefly, to bring the water quickly back to the boil, then uncover. Boil uncovered until the beans are just cooked, 3 min. Test if need be.
3. Drain the beans and immediately place them in the bowl of ice water. After 3-4 min. drain again. These can now can be refrigerated, covered until ready to use.
4. Make sure the lettuce has been thoroughly washed and completely dried using a salad spinner and then letting it rest and dry further wrapped in a clean tea towel.
5. This can also be done ahead of time and put into the refrigerator.
6. To assemble the salad first lay down the lettuce on a large round or oval platter. Dress the lettuce with two Tbsp. of the dressing. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper.
7. Toss the beans with a small amount of the dressing. Place the potatoes in the center of the platter and drizzle with a small amount of the dressing. Place the tomatoes in four different sections around the platter and drizzle with some of the dressing.
8. Then place equal amounts of green beans on either side of the tomatoes. Place the two halves of the eggs between the green beans and top with two anchovies each, repeat around the plate.
9. Beside two sets of eggs place the flaked tuna and drizzle with some of the dressing, top with the capers. Alongside the alternate eggs place one of the two olives. Add one slice of roasted red pepper to each mound of green beans.
10. Garnish with more capers, parsley, and freshly ground pepper, and any remaining dressing.
11. Serve immediately.

Recipe calculation was provided by Nutritionix and is estimation only. If you need nutritional calculations for medical reasons, please use a source that you trust.