Nicoise Potato Salad Recipes

Steps:

• Put the potatoes in a medium saucepan; cover with cold water and season with salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook until fork-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and transfer to a medium bowl; drizzle with the wine and let cool. Reserve the saucepan.
• Meanwhile, bring a separate saucepan of salted water to a boil. Fill a bowl with salted ice water. Add the haricots verts to the boiling water; cook until crisp-tender and bright green, 2 to 4 minutes. Drain and immediately plunge into the ice water to cool; drain and pat dry.
• Place the eggs in the reserved saucepan and cover with cold water by about 1 inch. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then cover, remove from the heat and let stand, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, then run under cold water to cool. Peel under cold running water.
• Make the dressing: Whisk the vinegar, shallot, mustard, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in a bowl. Whisk in the olive oil in a slow, steady stream until emulsified.
• Toss the tomatoes ian a small bowl with salt and pepper to taste. Add about 1/4 cup dressing to the potatoes and toss. Quarter the hard-cooked eggs.
• Divide the lettuce among 4 plates. Arrange the potatoes, haricots verts, radishes, hard-cooked eggs and tuna on top. Pour any juices from the tomatoes into the dressing, then add the tomatoes to the plates. Drizzle with the dressing and top with the olives.

Steps:

• Mix 1 cup chopped mixed parsley, chives and tarragon, 1/2 cup chopped shallot, 1/3 cup white wine, 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons each white wine vinegar and dijon mustard, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss with 2 pounds boiled halved fingerlings, adding 2 cups chopped green beans to the potatoes during the last 4 minutes of cooking. Add 1 drained can oil-packed tuna and 1/2 cup halved kalamata olives.

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes, and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain and cool.
• In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, parsley, olives, onion, tuna and green beans. Refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
• In large bowl, toss greens with vinaigrette and top with chilled potato mixture. Garnish with eggs, tomatoes, capers and anchovies.

Steps:

• Combine first 6 ingredients in large bowl.
• Blend all remaining ingredients except eggs in blender. Toss 3/4 cup with potato mixture. Top with eggs.
• Refrigerate 1 hour. Refrigerate remaining dressing for another use.

Steps:

• Potatoes: Fill a small saucepan with water. Add potatoes, thyme sprig, bay leaf, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Haricots vert: Fill a large saucepan with water and bring to a boil. When boiling, add a big pinch of salt, followed by haricots verts. Cook until tender with a slight snap, 4-9 minutes depending on size. Eggs: Fill a small saucepan with water and bring to a boil. When boiling, use a spoon to gently ease eggs into the water. Cook exactly 7½ minutes. Meanwhile, prepare two ice baths: Fill two large bowls with water and plenty of ice.
• Scallions: Trim away the very end of the root while keeping scallion intact; remove the thick outer layer. Cut away the dark green top, leaving a 3-inch length of white and light-green scallion. Make several 1-inch vertical cuts down the top to create a scallion "brush." Repeat with all the scallions and place them in an ice bath to preserve freshness. Radishes: Slice each radish lengthwise into thin slices. Set aside.
• When beans are mostly tender with a touch of firmness, use a strainer to transfer them to an ice bath to stop the cooking. Remove eggs and place them into the same ice bath. Check potatoes for doneness by piercing one with a knife; there should be no resistance. Remove potatoes and set aside; discard thyme and bay leaf. Peel eggs, slice in half lengthwise, and set aside.
• Assembly: On a serving platter, layer the Boston lettuce, followed by the baby gem. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise and distribute evenly, followed by haricots verts, scallions, whole tomatoes, radish, large chunks of tuna, and eggs. Garnish with leaves of basil and chervil.
• Pit olives (optional): Place olives on a flat surface. Press the bottom of a small bowl on the olives to loosen their pits; remove and discard the pits. Scatter the pitted olives over the salad. Next, tuck small bunches of arugula within the lettuce. Finally, finish assembling the salad by laying about 10 anchovies evenly across the top.
• Chef Boulud offers two options for dressing the salad. Lemon & Oil Dressing: Zest lemon evenly over the salad, then sprinkle with lemon juice. Drizzle with olive oil, and finish with pepper and salt. (Note: Use salt with moderation, since the tuna and anchovies are already salted.) Grand-Mère's Vinaigrette: In a bowl, add the sliced garlic and a pinch of salt. Use a fork to mash the garlic into a coarse paste. Add mustard, vinegar, and pepper; stir to combine. Add olive oil in a slow stream, whisking constantly with the fork to emulsify. Add a teaspoon of water at a time, whisking between additions, to thin vinaigrette as desired. Place vinaigrette into a serving dish and serve alongside the salad.

Steps:

• To prepare the sauce: With a spoon, pound together the garlic and salt to a paste. Beat in a T each of lemon juice and wine vinegar and the dry mustard. Slowly whisk in the olive oil and the pepper and basil. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• To prepare the potatoes: Scrub the potatoes; steam or boil unil tender, about 20 minutes. Cut into chunks, or slice 1/2 inch thick. Toss potatoes gently with shallots, salt, pepper, chicken broth and water. Allow to sit 4 minutes, tossing once or twice to absorb liquid evenly. Add 1/4 cup dressing, toss again and refrigerate.
• To prepare the salad: Place the beans in boiling water 5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water until chilles. Drain and pat dry; chill.
• Toss the lettace with several spoonfuls of dressing and arrange the leaves around the edge of a large, deep platter. Turn the potato salad into the middle of the leaves. Arrange tomatoes around the potatoes and drizzle with a little dressing. Toss the beans with a spoonful of dressing and arrange around tomatoes.
• Distribute the eggs and garnish with anchovies and capers. Ring the potatoes with a line of black olives. Break up the tuna and arrange in the center of the potato salad. Drizzle with dressing. Garnish with parsley and serve.