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Emergency Nicoise Salad MASTER RECIPE Nicoise Salad, like paella, is generally served with a large number of ingredients. Yet for weekday supper is can be made simply, with only four main ingredients: a basic potato salad, two vegetables, and canned tuna fish. At least one of the vegetables should be cooked in very little liquid, so that the flavored juice may be included in the dressing, perhaps the chief attraction of this simple salad. The potatoes may be room temperature, but the vegetable and fish should be chilled. Thus start with the vegetables and let them refrigerate while you boil the potatoes. An attraction of this dish is the mayonnaise or yogurt dressing infused with the cooking liquid from the vegetables. I don't know why it's so good, but it is. Serves 4, one-dish meal Two at least of these vegetables: broccoli, green beans, asparagus
(preferred) Boiling potatoes, 1/2 pound For dressing: For decoration (any or all): Start chilling the tuna fish. Make a potato salad by boiling or steaming the potatoes. Toss with olive oil, white wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Pan-steam (braise) broccoli and asparagus, reserving the cooking liquid. Steam the green beans. Chill the vegetables in the refrigerator. To mix the dressing, stir vegetable juice into mayonnaise to a consistency about like heavy cream. Make a generous amount. Just before serving, freshen the potatoes with a little olive
oil. Serve the dressing separately, decorated with parsley or paprika, and let guests help themselves. Variation To serve on a bed of lettuce, place rinsed and dried lettuce in the bowl. Toss lightly with olive oil and white wine vinegar or lemon juice. Place potatoes on top. How to compose a salad The best way to produce a composed salad is to have a live-in partner who was born knowing the technique. In watching my wife Nina, I notice that sometimes she uses a bowl, on other occasions a flat platter. Which is used depends on the components of the salad, not the whim of the composer. Use a bowl when you have few ingredients, a platter when you have many. The platter is particularly important if you have any very expensive components. These should be clearly visible, not lost in a general mixture. |
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