Niçoise Salad With Grilled Vegetables And Basil-Mustard Vinaigrette
Niçoise Salad With Grilled Vegetables And Basil-Mustard Vinaigrette
When a salad graduates from an afterthought to a showpiece, chances are you’re talking Salade Niçoise. Packed with flavor, it’s a light but complete meal that also sticks to your ribs. It’s perhaps my favorite dish to have on hot days. Here I take the classic Provençal dish and serve it with grilled vegetables and a basil vinaigrette — all in celebration of summer’s exuberant flavors. On a side note, although my Niçoise is fishless, grilled tuna steak would be a great addition to it. See all tuna recipes.
servings
4
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 shallot, peeled and quartered
- 12 large basil leaves
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 4 baby eggplants, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices lengthwise
- 2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for grilling the eggplant
- sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 1 medium-sized red onion, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices through the root end*
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 large handful baby arugula
- 1 1/2 pound baby red potatoes, unpeeled, boiled until tender, and halved
- 8 ounce haricots verts, trimmed and left whole
- 2 ripe medium-sized tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
- 4 -6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved
- 1/2 cup niçoise olives
- 1/3 cup large caper berries, drained
Directions
- Place all of the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process until the basil is finely chopped and the vinaigrette is well-blended. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Preheat a gas grill on high heat or prepare a charcoal grill. Lightly brush the eggplant slices on both sides with olive oil. Season with salt, to taste, and grill until grill marks appear on all sides. Transfer to a tray and set aside.
- Place the onion slices in a bowl. Add the vinegar and oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Toss carefully, taking care not to break the slices apart, and transfer to a perforated stainless steel pan. Grill until charred. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Spread the baby arugula on a large serving platter. Top with the grilled eggplant, grilled onions, potatoes, haricots verts, tomatoes, eggs, olives, and caper berries. Serve with the vinaigrette on the side.