SALMON NICOISE

If throwing a dinner party stresses you out because you are typically in the kitchen cooking at some point while guests are having fun and drinking cocktails while you smoke up the house, then this is the ideal dish for entertaining! It showcases fresh spring and summer ingredients, you can make ALL of it ahead of time and there is something for everyone on this platter. I personally am not crazy about the traditional Tuna Nicoise because I don’t eat tuna, so salmon is the perfect stand-in. It doesn’t matter what protein you use, really. The most important piece of advice I can give you is to pick the best ingredients you can find, because this is a simple, straightforward dish and there is no way to cover up a bad ingredient here. So, if you have trouble finding something or don’t like one of the components, just switch it up and add whatever you like. Hit up the farmer’s market.

I am lucky enough to have a butcher’s market that carries Faroe Island Salmon, and it is delicious. If you cannot find good quality salmon, go to your local seafood market and see what looks the best. Also, this is going to seem like a lot of steps and ingredients, but don’t freak out because each component is simple to make. Adjust quantities as needed depending on how many people you are serving. You can cook the salmon about an hour ahead and leave at room temperature. Everything else can be made hours in advance!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 large salmon filet (about 1lb.), or two smaller filets
• BBQ seasoning such as this, or kosher salt & pepper (whatever seasoning you love)
• cedar plank
• 1 lb. small yellow or red potatoes, slice larger ones in half
• 1 red fresno chili, seeded and thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp. vinegar, such as sherry or champagne
• 1 scallion thinly sliced (white and green part)
• about 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 tbsp. drained capers
• 1 celery stalk, sliced in half lengthwise and thinly sliced across
• prepared Good Seasons Italian salad dressing, or favorite vinaigrette
• 1 small bag french green beans or haricot verts
• 1 small bunch radishes, cleaned and sliced in half lenghtwise (if leaves look healthy leave them on for presentation!)
• pitted olives (nicoise are traditional but just pick what you like)
• baby lettuces
• cherry tomatoes, on the vine if you can find them
• fresh herbs such as dill & parsley
• 3 eggs
• 2 tbsp. Champagne vinegar
• 1 tsp. dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp. finely minced shallot
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• flake salt such as Maldon
• fresh herbs for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

TO MAKE THE POTATO SALAD-

1. Place the fresno chili slices in a small bowl and cover with the 2 tbsp. of vinegar. Allow to pickle at room temperature while you make the salad.
2. Place potatoes in a pot and cover with water by 2 inches.
3. Bring to a boil, add a big pinch of kosher salt and lower the heat until they are at a low boil. Cook until you can easily pierce them with a knife, about 10-15 minutes. Drain and place in a bowl.
4. At this point I like to toss them with olive oil and roast them on a sheet pan in a 375 oven for 15-20 minutes just to give them more flavor, but you could skip this step if you are felling lazy.
5. When they are cool enough to handle, but still warm, drizzle with some of the italian dressing and stir gently.
6. Add fresno chili along with the vinegar, scallion, capers & celery and stir. Add as much dressing as needed to bind the mixture together. Season to taste with kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper. Add herbs right before serving.
7. If making ahead you can either keep in the fridge or it will be fine at room temp for a couple of hours. If you store in the fridge, allow it to come back to room temp before serving.

TO MAKE THE GREEN BEANS-

1. Prepare an ice bath by adding water and ice cubes to a large bowl and set aside.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a big pinch of kosher salt and add the beans. Cook just 30 seconds to a minute until they are bright green but still crisp. Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon or tongs and add to the ice water. When cooled, remove and drain on paper towels. Place in a container and keep in fridge until ready to serve.

TO MAKE THE TOMATOES-

1. Heat oven to 350. Place tomatoes on parchment lined sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Roast for about 15-20 minutes, just until they are sizzling and starting to brown. Remove from the oven and keep at room temperature until ready to serve. This can be done a couple of hours in advance.

TO MAKE THE EGGS-

1. I follow the Barefoot Contessa’s recipe for perfectly cooked eggs. Place eggs in a small pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and then turn off the heat. Time them for 5 minutes to sit in the hot water.
2. Remove from the pot and place in a bowl of cold water until cooled, for about 2-3 minutes. Peel and slice the eggs down the middle, wrap them and store in the fridge.
3. Before assembling on a platter sprinkle with flake salt & fresh cracked pepper.

TO MAKE THE SALMON-

1. Soak the cedar plank for at least 30 minutes in warm water.
2. Season the salmon with the bbq rub or seasoning of choice.
3. Prepare a charcoal grill and let coals burn down until they are red hot and ashy gray on top.
4. Grill the cedar plank for about 3-4 minutes until lightly charred on one side. Flip it over and place salmon on top. Cover the grill and cook for about 12-15 minutes. Check with the tip of a knife to see how salmon looks when pierced after 12 minutes.
5. Remove from the grill, cover with foil and allow to rest at room temperature until ready to serve, up to an hour or so. Or keep in a very low warming drawer if you have one.

TO MAKE THE CHAMPAGNE VINAIGRETTE-

1. In a small bowl add the minced shallot and 2 tbsp. of champagne vinegar such as this. Allow to ‘pickle’ for about 15 minutes before finishing the vinaigrette.
2. Add a pinch of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper and 1 tsp. of dijon mustard. Whisk until completely combined.
3. Slowly whisk in 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil until combined. Set aside at room temperature until ready to serve, up to several hours. Whisk again right before serving.

TO ASSEMBLE-

You can assemble the platter before your guests arrive, cover and keep on the counter at room temperature. I like to take a large white platter and arrange each component in rows or sections. You can slice the salmon into large chunks. Garnish with fresh herbs like large sprigs of dill or basil. Give the whole dish a sprinkle of flake salt. Serve with the champagne vinaigrette on the side.