A new twist on a French classic, my Lectin Free Gourmet Salmon Nicoise tastes Tres Provencal. A few swaps, like asparagus for haricots verts, and voila!
Salad Nicoise (nee-SWAHZ) is such a hearty, filling, and tasty meal. All the protein-packed fish and eggs surrounded by fresh veggies and pickled delights really dance around the tongue and stick to your ribs. And when you eat a salad like this, it just feels so good.
As good as it may be, the traditional version has potatoes, tomatoes and haricot verts (green beans), none of which are okay if you're trying to reduce your intake of bad lectins.
The LFG version of this classic salad offers a few swaps, plenty of pickled things like okra and olives, and we do asperges vertes (instead of green beans). Do this salad right and you can seriously upgrade your nicoise. The new LFG Salmon Nicoise may make you wonder what you saw in the old one.
The Recipe
(Serves 2 Easily)
Salmon Nicoise
1 Wild Caught Salmon Filet
3 Omega-3 or Pastured Eggs
1 Handful Lacy Lettuce Leaves (Curly Endive, Arugula, or Frisee)
6 - 8 Spears Asparagus (replaces hericots verts)
1 Parsnip (replaces potatoes)
1 Beet (replaces tomatoes)
Olive Oil for cooking
1/4 C Marinated Artichoke Hearts
1/4 C Nicoise or Kalamata Olives
2-3 Pickled Okra Spears
1 T Caper Berries (nonpareils)
Salt and Pepper to taste (for salmon)
Salad Nicoise Dressing
1 T Shallots chopped
1 T Maille Old Style Mustard
1 T Lemon Juice (zest for the asparagus)
1 Wild Planet Anchovy Filet
Instructions:
TIP: Beets and parsnips can be made ahead of time and chilled in the fridge overnight if desired.
Step 1: Prep beets and parsnips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel and cut the beet into thin wedges. Place in a bowl and toss with a little olive oil, and a pinch of salt. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until tender. Let cool. In a Dutch oven (I like Le Creuset), heat a little olive oil on medium low heat. Peel and cut the parsnip into 1 inch pieces. Cook in the Dutch oven covered for about 10 minutes, turning each piece about every two minutes until browned all sides. Let cool.
Step 2: Prep eggs
Next boil the eggs for 6 minutes, then place in an ice bath until needed. At which time, you will peel and cut them in half the long way as pictured. While the eggs are boiling,
flash the asparagus in a hot pan with olive oil for about one minute. You want them green, but still crispy. Remove the spears from the hot pan, and cool on a paper towel. Grate a little lemon zest on them and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Step 3: Prep salmon and artichoke hearts
Next cook the salmon filet. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the filet on a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush with a little marinade from the jar of artichoke hearts. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for about 6 minutes. You want the salmon to be a bit under, or medium rare inside. Remove promptly from oven and let stand while you make the dressing and assemble the salad.
Step 4: Make dressing
Next, make the dressing. In a small food processor put the mustard, shallots and anchovy filet. Add the lemon juice and olive oil last and give it about 10 long pulses until the dressing is thick and creamy. Put into a small gravy boat, small creamer or a similar pouring vessel.
Step 5: Assemble salad
Plate a bed of lettuce on chilled dinnerware. Arrange the beets at 6 o'clock then work clockwise, followed by artichoke hearts, pickled okra, eggs, asparagus, olives and parsnips. Leave the middle open for the salmon. With two forks pull apart your medium-rare salmon filet with the bone lines so that you have about one inch, bite sized pieces. Arrange the salmon cuts in the middle of the plate. Finally, drizzle the dressing sparingly over the salad. Reserve some on the side for dunking.
Pair with a glass of Pinot Noir. Bon Appetit!