I love the French bistro staple Nicoise Salad, and wanted to make a beautiful rainbow vegetarian version. (And YES, those are cooked egg yolks on the salad!)

The part that I don’t like about Nicoise Salad is the potatoes. I have always thought that boiled potatoes are booooor-ing. So, I set out to see if I could make them more flavorful.

I thought about sauteing them, but cold sauteed potatoes just seemed heinous. And then I thought, when you saute things, you add aromatics to infuse your food. Why not do the same when you boil your food?

So, I added shallots and garlic cloves to the pot, and I gotta brag a little: The potatoes taste so yummy! The shallots infuse sweetness and the garlic adds richness and tang. Just delicious.

Another innovation: I used the liquid from the kalamata olive jar to the vinaigrette. The flavor of this salad is bright, tasty and briny. I will be making this again and again this summer.

VEGETARIAN RAINBOW NICOISE SALAD

Serves 4 (easily)

2 large beets
1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 2 inch chunks
2 large shallots, quartered
3 garlic cloves, smashed
1 pound green beans, stem ends removed
2 orange bell peppers, cut into thin strips
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
6 fully cooked egg yolks
1 cup pitted Kalamata olives
2 tablespoons liquid from the Kalamata olive jar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons mayonnaise

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Scrub the beets and wrap in foil. Bake for 30 minutes, or until beets are fork tender. Let cool, peel and cut into 2 inch chunks.

Bring to a boil in heavily salted water the potatoes, shallots and garlic. Boil until potatoes are fork tender. Drain and let cool. (You can remove the shallots and garlic, or leave them in the mix – your choice.)

Microwave the beans until softened slightly and then let cool.

Whisk together the Kalamata liquid, oil, salt, pepper and mayonnaise.

Toss each vegetable in the vinaigrette separately and arrange on a platter in a rainbow pattern.  Scatter the egg yolks on top of the potatoes. Chill in refrigerator for at least one hour.

Vegetarian Rainbow Nicoise Salad with Kalamata Vinaigrette (and The Secret to Tasty Boiled Potatoes)

 

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Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

1 hour

 

Author: Donna

Recipe type: Main Dish Salad

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 large beets
• 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 2 inch chunks
• 2 large shallots, quartered
• 3 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 pound green beans, stem ends removed
• 2 orange bell peppers, cut into thin strips
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 6 fully cooked egg yolks
• 1 cup pitted Kalamata olives
• 2 tablespoons liquid from the Kalamata olive jar
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Scrub the beets and wrap in foil. Bake for 30 minutes, or until beets are fork tender. Let cool, peel and cut into 2 inch chunks.
3. Bring to a boil in heavily salted water the potatoes, shallots and garlic. Boil until potatoes are fork tender. Drain and let cool. (You can remove the shallots and garlic, or leave them in the mix - your choice.)
4. Microwave the beans until softened slightly and then let cool.
5. Whisk together the Kalamata liquid, oil, salt, pepper and mayonnaise.
6. Toss each vegetable in the vinaigrette separately and arrange on a platter in a rainbow pattern. Scatter the egg yolks on top of the potatoes. Chill in refrigerator for at least one hour.

3.5.3226

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