Salade Niçoise – Julia Child
ShareJulia Child’s salad niçoise recipe; A twist on the traditional salad niçoise, using sliced chicken over a bed of lettuce. Topped off with a helping of potatoes, green beans and hard boiled eggs.
Here we are in the fourth week of JC100, the celebration leading up to what would have been Julia Child’s 100th birthday. After week two, I keep hoping for more chocolate. And maybe I’ll be happily surprised in the coming weeks. Only time will tell!
This week we were given salad niçoise to make. It’s a mixed salad traditionally made with a bed of lettuce, topped off with flaked tuna and anchovies. Hard boiled eggs, green beans and tomatoes round out the bunch. Julia’s recipe called for potatoes and olives as well.
Now you know how I feel about tomatoes. Loathe. But, for the sake of the recipe I added them in. Notice how I kept them whole, so to not disturb the rest of my salad. If you love tomatoes, you’re welcome to my leftovers.
I couldn’t help myself with this one… I don’t like fish. *Gasp* Another thing I’m likely to be flamed for. It’s a texture thing. Plus, fish on a salad just feels wrong to me and since the only fish I eat is tuna from a can or shrimp in my wontons, clearly it wasn’t about to happen on my poor salad. No way. So I added chicken. I like chicken. It seemed like a perfectly acceptable alteration in my eyes. Of course Julia may have thought otherwise.
Then I went a step further…
Last week’s recipe called for bacon. I had plenty leftover so I figured it was meant to be. Hopefully Julia wouldn’t have minded this one bit… but I tossed the tomatoes. And sprinkled with a generous helping of crispy fried bacon. Oh yeah. All is right in the world again.
Now to find a brownie…
Salade Niçoise
Ingredients
- 2 small chicken breasts trimmed and pounded down to an even thickness
- 1/2 C chicken broth
- 1/4 C thick cut bacon chopped
- 8-10 small red potatoes
- 2 cloves garlic smashed
- 1/2 tsp whole peppercorn
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 10-12 whole green beans
- 2 large eggs
- Boston lettuce
- Salad dressing
- Cherry tomatoes
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions
- In a small skillet over medium heat, fry bacon until crisp. Transfer to a small bowl. Set aside.
- Season chicken breast with salt and pepper. Add to the small skillet. Cook over medium heat, 4-5 minutes per side or until almost cooked through. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth. Cook for an additional 3-5 minutes or until chicken is completely cooked through. Transfer to a cutting board to rest.
- Add eggs to a small saucepan. Cover with cold water and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a rapid boil. Remove from heat, let sit for 1 minute uncovered and 12-14 minutes covered. Rinse under cold water. Carefully peel, quarter and set aside.
- To a small saucepan, add potatoes, smashed garlic and peppercorns. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Boil 1 minute. Reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes. Drain. Cut in half. Toss in melted butter and season with salt and pepper.
- Using the same small saucepan as used for your eggs, bring water to a boil. Toss in green beans. Boil for 3 minutes. Rinse under cold water and transfer to an ice bath.
- Using one large platter or two individual plates, add several pieces of Boston lettuce to the center. Lightly drizzle with dressing and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Top off with thinly sliced chicken (or flaked tuna if you prefer).
- Arrange green beans to one side. Place the tomatoes, halved potatoes and quartered eggs around the edge of your plate or platter. Sprinkle with bacon. Drizzle with additional dressing if desired.
Notes
Celebrating 100 with Julia Child:
Week 1: Rolled omelette
Week 2: Chocolate mousse
Week 3: Coq au Vin
lol! I love that you put the tomatoes on for pictures and then took them back off. Also love the addition of bacon, obviously.
They were completely necessary changes in my book lol ;)
I can’t believe she would have been 100. What an inspiration she’s been to me.
I ate this practically everyday when I lived in spain,I always got it with chicken. The first time I got it I nearly died when I saw anchioves,tuna I could handle,anchioves…not so much :)
Looks delicious,especially with the bacon..yum!
I have a similar salad. Love this as well. Yummily!
I’m so with you on the tomato and fish hatred. Although, really the only thing I’d eat in that entire salad is the bacon, potatoes, and eggs. Maybe I should just skip the salad and have breakfast instead.
Necessary changes :) I’ll eat your tomatoes.
ha, your changes are too funny! i have to admit, though, this salad sounds better to me than the traditional salad nicoise. =) i’ll eat your tomatoes any day, by the way! sorry if that sounds roguely dirty.
hahaha i totally would’ve done the same with the tomatoes..actually, i do the same with a lot of things..like green onions, i never eat them. i sprinkle them on for picture purposes then obnoxiously pick them off lol!…this salad looks great and has pretty colors. i love the healthyness of it….but now i want ice cream :)
Funny – I don’t like raw tomatoes either, but I have a good reason. I’m actually intolerant to them (break out in hives). So I’m an old hand at substituting when it comes to tomatoes!
Your food dislikes always crack me up but I’m kind of with you on this one. I’ve never been a nicoise salad fan. Your photos are great though – that’s all that matters. ;)
I bet there is at least one thing I love that you hate, Amanda… we’ll have to figure it out one of these days lol ;)
Gorgeous salad! I love tomatoes and fish so I’ll take yours! :)
This is my kind of salad. I would have swapped out the fish for the chicken too and definitely would have skipped the tomatoes entirely. I’m in the group where adding bacon to a salad is a must!
I don’t think I’ve ever had a Nicoise salad, but it sounds yummy, especially with the bacon!! A very necessary addition :)