Winter Salmon Niçoise Salad
Not just for the summer, this warm, wintery version of the classic Niçoise salad is perfect for a healthy, hearty lunch during the colder months. The usual, boiled New Potatoes are replaced with roasted, skin-on Rooster Potatoes. Instead of Tuna, delicious, hearty Salmon and Tenderstem Broccoli in place of the Green Beans. Traditional it isn't, but combined with the Lemon and Anchovy dressing, it packs a perfect flavour punch!
Serves 2
INGREDIENTS
For the Salad
2x Potatoes (approx. 400g) - (skin on, washed well and chopped into 2cm even chunks) - I use red skinned Rooster Potatoes as they are wonderful roasted and their skin gives great flavour but you can use Maris Piper or Kind Edwards too.
2x Fillets of Salmon
2x Free Range Eggs
4x Cloves of Garlic - (smashed with skins on - Keep 1 half for the dressing)
100g Tenderstem Broccoli
Handful of Cherry Tomatoes
Handful of Green Olives
1x Gem Lettuce - (leaves separated, washed and dried well)
3x tbsp Olive Oil - (2 for the Potatoes, 1 for the Salmon and Broccoli)
Salt and Black Pepper
For the Dressing
5x tbsps Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2x Anchovy Fillets
1/2 Clove Garlic (from above)
Zest of 1/2 Lemon
2x tbsp Lemon Juice (approx. 1/2 lemon)
Black Pepper
Salt (if needed)
METHOD
1. Pre-heat your oven to 220°C/200°C Fan/Gas Mark 7
2. Line a large baking tray with baking paper and add the potatoes, the garlic (reserve half a clove for the dressing) and drizzle over 2 tbsps. of olive oil. Season with lots of salt and pepper and mix well.
3. Roast for 30-40 minutes (turning halfway) until they are looking golden brown.
4. In the meantime, make the dressing. On a chopping board, roughly chop the anchovies and the peeled, half clove of garlic. Add the lemon zest and then use the back of a large knife to squash and blend them into a smooth paste. (This can also be done in a mortar and pestle).
5. Transfer the paste to a bowl / jug and add the extra virgin olive oil, the lemon juice and a good grind of black pepper. Whisk everything well and give it a little taste to see it needs any salt (the anchovies are salty so it may not). Leave to one side for the flavours to develop further.
6. Season the salmon, broccoli and cherry tomatoes and drizzle with the last tbsp of oil and rub together carefully to coat.
7. Once the potatoes have had their time and are looking golden brown, remove them from the oven, turn them again and then add the salmon, broccoli and tomatoes to the tray too.
8. Roast for another 20-25 minutes, turning the broccoli halfway through.
9. Put some water onto boil in a small pan. Once the water is boiling, carefully add the eggs and cook for 6 minutes for a rich, runny yolk or longer if you prefer hardboiled. Drain and cover in cold water as soon as the time is up, to stop them cooking further.
10. Remove the tray from the oven once everything is ready. As the salmon and vegetables will give off a little liquid (which will add to the flavour!), remove these from the tray and put the potatoes back in for 10 minutes to crisp up as you prepare the rest of the salad.
11. Carefully peel the eggs and then to serve, arrange the gem lettuce leaves onto each plate and flake the salmon and pile on top. Add the broccoli and tomatoes, a few olives and the potatoes. Spoon over the dressing, top with the sliced egg and enjoy!
Recipe originally developed for Albert Bartlett