Niçoise Charcuterie

By Abby Reing

Salade niçoise (pronounced nee-swaz), perfectly captures the beauty of spring. The fresh vegetables, acidic dressing, and vibrant yellow egg yolks are impossible to resist snapping a photo of. Typically served cold, the blanched green beans retain their crunchy texture and the potatoes won’t wilt the salad greens. Tuna or anchovies are traditionally included, but for a vegetarian picnic, I prefer to omit them. Soft boiled eggs are a delectable protein, without the hint of sulfuric chalkiness that often plagues hard boiled eggs. 8 and a half minutes is golden, literally. The resulting yolks are canary yellow and creamy, without any drippiness.  

Don’t believe my praise just yet? Gordon Ramsey himself has declared this dish as “the finest summer salad of all,” recounting making it on a yacht south of France. Talk about summer paradise!

While this dish makes a wonderful salad, it also makes a lovely charcuterie-style spread at a picnic or barbecue. Drizzle or dip into the salad dressing, and enjoy sides of olives, bread, and nuts! 

Photo by Abby Reing

Photo by Abby Reing

Ingredients

1 lb green beans

1 lb fingerling potatoes, halved

4 eggs

Handful of cherry tomatoes

Handful of mixed nuts

Olives 

Fresh bread

Dressing

1 Tbsp dijon mustard

3 Tbsp red wine vinegar

3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper (to taste) 

Instructions

  1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add eggs, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 8 minutes and 30 seconds. Plunge eggs into an ice bath to stop the cooking. 

  2. Add green beans to the water, along with a small handful of salt, cooking for 2-4 minutes. The beans should be slightly tender but still crisp and bright green. Plunge beans into the ice bath.

  3. Add potatoes to the water, boil for about 10 minutes. You should be able to cut through one with a fork. Plunge into the ice bath. 

  4. In the meantime, mix together the dressing to taste. 

  5. Drain the vegetables, peel the eggs, and cut them in half using a lightly oiled knife. 

  6. Assemble all of the ingredients on a plate, charcuterie board, or over fresh salad greens. 

Bon appetit! 

Crème de Cornell