So I'm back in the blogosphere, and perhaps I'll stick around this time. My goal with The Pumpkin Patch is to photograph and otherwise chronicle recipes, clothing, craft projects, restaurant recommendations, books I read, and other things of interest in my life. Hopefully another person or two can benefit from the posts.
To start off, I thought I'd post the recipe for Salade Nicoise, which I made myself for dinner a few nights ago. (For those out there like me who do not speak French and have been terrified of ordering this dish in a restaurant for said reason, Nicoise is pronounced "nee-SWAHZ" or something like that.) The recipe below is adapted from one on Simply Recipes to fit my own tastes.

Salade Nicoise - for 1 large entree sized salad or 2 smaller salads
Ingredients:
Salad
Butterhead lettuce (i.e. Boston Bibb)
2 hard boiled eggs
3-4 Yukon gold creamer potatoes
8-10 cherry tomatoes
1 cup green beans (fresh or frozen)
1 can (6 oz) tuna (or if you aren't as lazy, a tuna filet)
1/2 cup olives (I used garlic-stuffed green olives here)
Salt, pepper
Olive oil
Garlic (optional)
Garlic (optional)
Dressing
1/2 tsp brown/dijon mustard
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
Dried basil and oregano to taste
1. To make vinaigrette, whisk all ingredients together in a glass measuring cup. Set aside.
2. Scrub and quarter potatoes (no need to peel) and bring to a boil in a quart of salted water. Boil uncovered for 7-10 minutes or until they're the texture you like. Drain and top with salt and pepper.
3. Sautee green beans in a small amount of olive oil and garlic, if you like. I use Trader Joe's frozen green beans and they are delicious.
4. Peel and quarter hard boiled eggs. (See this SimplyRecipes link for the perfect hard-boiled egg.)
5. Halve cherry tomatoes and olives.
6. Assemble salad! Place your washed and cut bibb lettuce on a platter, drizzle dressing over lettuce. Then arrange eggs, tomatoes, olives, green beans, and potatoes. Top with the can of tuna. I like to add a touch of salt and pepper to the tuna fish.
Enjoy!
Thank god for that pronunciation tip. I've always just pointed and mumbled.
ReplyDeleteI have a salad nicoise post on my blog too!
ReplyDeleteOooh I like your take too, Eileen! Avocado would definitely be a yummy addition.
ReplyDeleteNow I may have to have this for dinner tonight.