Classic salad Niçoise recipe

There is as much debate over the correct way to make a salad Niçoise but it should always be an expression of the southern French summer – crunchy, vibrant, strident and fresh.

Ingredients

  Metric  Cups  Imperial 

• 0.5 garlic clove, peeled
• 2 small artichokes, outer leaves removed, dark green bits peeled, choke removed
• 1 small, firm cucumber, or half a big watery one
• 12 radishes
• 1 white or red salad onion, as mild and sweet as possible
• 250 g ripe tomatoes (the most delicious you can find, bull’s heart is lovely)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 150 g good-quality tuna in olive oil (such as Ortiz) or 8 salted anchovy fillets
• 1 handful black olives, pitted
• 0.5 bunch of basil, leaves picked
• 2 eggs, hard-boiled for 7 minutes and shelled
• 1 pinch each of salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 0.5 garlic clove, peeled
• 2 small artichokes, outer leaves removed, dark green bits peeled, choke removed
• 1 small, firm cucumber, or half a big watery one
• 12 radishes
• 1 white or red salad onion, as mild and sweet as possible
• 8.8 oz ripe tomatoes (the most delicious you can find, bull’s heart is lovely)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 5.3 oz good-quality tuna in olive oil (such as Ortiz) or 8 salted anchovy fillets
• 1 handful black olives, pitted
• 0.5 bunch of basil, leaves picked
• 2 eggs, hard-boiled for 7 minutes and shelled
• 1 pinch each of salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 0.5 garlic clove, peeled
• 2 small artichokes, outer leaves removed, dark green bits peeled, choke removed
• 1 small, firm cucumber, or half a big watery one
• 12 radishes
• 1 white or red salad onion, as mild and sweet as possible
• 8.8 oz ripe tomatoes (the most delicious you can find, bull’s heart is lovely)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 5.3 oz good-quality tuna in olive oil (such as Ortiz) or 8 salted anchovy fillets
• 1 handful black olives, pitted
• 0.5 bunch of basil, leaves picked
• 2 eggs, hard-boiled for 7 minutes and shelled
• 1 pinch each of salt and freshly ground black pepper

Details

• Cuisine: French
• Recipe Type: Salad
• Difficulty: Easy
• Preparation Time: 10 mins
• Cooking Time: 7 mins
• Serves: 4

Step-by-step

1. Rub the inside of a serving bowl with the cut garlic.
2. Prepare the artichokes and slice them thinly length ways.
3. Cut the cucumber and radishes into slices, but not too thin.
4. Peel and slice the onion as thinly as possible.
5. Cut the tomatoes into chunks, wedges or quarters depending on their size. Do not slice them too thinly or the salad may become wet as the juices seep out.
6. Combine the vegetables in the serving bowl. Add the olive oil and red wine vinegar, then season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
7. Mix in the tuna or anchovies, olives and basil. Taste again.
8. Cut the hard-boiled eggs into halves or quarters, season lightly with salt and pepper, then arrange on top of the salad.
9. Finish with an extra drizzle of olive oil, if you feel the salad needs it.

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