Salad Nicoise

Recipe uploaded by

Gordon Ramsay

7 ratings

Recipe by Gordon Ramsay

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1. First, make the dressing. Tip the olives, anchovies and garlic into a large mortar and mash with a pestle until you have a very rough paste. Scrape into a bowl, if you like, stir in the lemon juice, olive oil and vinegar, then set aside.
2. Cook the potatoes in boiling water for 15 mins until tender, then drain and set aside. Cook the beans in boiling salted water for 4-5 mins until tender with a slight crunch. Drain, tip into iced water, then drain again and set aside. Boil a small pan.
3. Halve the potatoes and heat 2 tbsp oil in a non-stick frying pan. Place the potatoes cut-side down in the pan and sizzle for about 4 mins until golden and crisp. Toss the potatoes in the pan to brown on all sides, then turn up the heat and add the tomatoes. Fry the tomatoes for about 1 min until just starting to blister, then season. Splash in 1 tbsp of the balsamic vinegar, then turn off the heat and scatter over the basil.
4. To cook the tuna, place a non-stick frying pan over a high heat, then turn the heat down to medium and add 1 tbsp oil. Season the tuna generously, then sear for 4 mins, leaving it undisturbed in the pan to brown. Turn over and continue to cook for 4 mins on the other side. This will give you very rare tuna. For rare, cook for 2 mins more on each side and for well done, add another 4 mins on each side. Set the tuna aside to rest for a few mins.
5. To serve, whisk the remaining oil and vinegar with the lemon juice in a small bowl and toss in the lettuce wedges. Place a spoonful of olive dressing into 2 serving bowls, arrange the potatoes and tomatoes over, then put a pile of beans on top. Slice the tuna in half at a slight angle and place each half on top of the beans. Wedge the lettuce around the outside, halve the eggs and position in between the lettuce. Dollop a small spoonful of olive dressing on each egg.

Gordon's tip

Fresh, seared tuna is infinitely better with this salad than tinned. I like to cook both portions of tuna as a whole piece, which is easier to cook, and then slice it into two once it's done. Rather than adding too many ingredients to the salad, I've taken the olives and anchovies from the classic version and incorporated them into a dressing.

Latest comments and suggestions

• rebecca

  02 November 2007

  rebecca commented on this recipe

  This recipe is absolutely delicious and very easy to do - it is also a very filling dish but you just want to eat more as it is so delicious. The flavours are magical - I leave the dressing to marinate for a while and I cook the tuna on a griddle. A definite must - Indulge Catering

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• arthouse

  23 November 2007

  arthouse rated this recipe

  

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• KJS

  24 April 2008

  KJS commented on this recipe

  Having lived in France all my life I find this recipe an insult to French cuisine. The essence of this dish is that the ingedients are layered. This dish should not be associated wish "Salad Nicoise" as it barely has half the traditional ingredients. Maybe if I serve a steak sandwich in my Cafe (in France) I could call it "Traditional English Sunday Roast".......

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• carole

  21 May 2008

  carole rated and commented on this recipe

  

  It may not be authentic but this is delicious, I left the tomatoes and potatoes in their raw state and used good quality tinned tuna and salmon for one of my lads who doesn't eat tuna, the sauce is amazing and we all slathered it on, will make this again, it is so much better than any I have eaten in France where they can be guilty of using tinned beans and packed potatoes when they have excellent produce to hand!

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• Schnozwangle Plonker

  14 June 2008

  Schnozwangle Plonker rated and commented on this recipe

  

  This is a perfect recipe to make with the children, there are so many things that they can help out with. this leaves me with only one more thing to say - WELL DONE GORDON!!!!!!

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• my binder

  30 July 2008

  my binder rated and commented on this recipe

  

  How can this be a "tested" recipe? How about boiling the eggs? In which case they are better if they are not "as fresh as you can get" otherwise they are very difficult to peel. Disappointing recipe writing BBC.

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• T0xicCandy

  28 September 2008

  T0xicCandy rated and commented on this recipe

  

  Fresh flavours, healthy yet deliciously indulgent. (Even minus the olives and anchovies which I abstained from the recipe). Cooking for the second time tonight!

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• ~Up~

  01 February 2009

  ~Up~ commented on this recipe

  This is a fair rendition, but it would help to post ingredients, first, so we know if it's what we are looking for, indeed, the one we want before going through the whole recipe.

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• Leanne

  22 February 2009

  Leanne rated and commented on this recipe

  

  This was absolutely lovely and the amount was just great. I left out the tomatoes for myself but the olive and anchovy dressing was fantastic ! A real taste sensation and one that I'll definately do again.

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• flubbles1982

  02 June 2009

  flubbles1982 rated and commented on this recipe

  

  This recipe was delicious and I will definitely make again. My only complaints are that the portion size was huge and I only cooked 2 eggs, halved the amount of tomatoes used and had smaller Tuna Steaks. I also think that someone needs to look at the method as it could be simplified and organised better, when I make it again I would completely rework the method. The eggs are also missing from the method and it's unclear whether the olive/garlic/anchovy paste should remain as a tapenade or be mixed with the Olive Oil and Lemon Juice.

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• Schnozwangle Plonker

  24 October 2009

  Schnozwangle Plonker commented on this recipe

  I loved this recipe, it gives an uplifting vibrance as it is so light and fresh. I didnt use tuna but instead I used pork which is really nice if you have it in winter. In summer I left out the broad beans as they were not very good quality. I just used more lettuce instead, yum!!!

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Ingredients

• 300g small new potatoes
• 100g fine green beans , trimmed
• 3 eggs , as fresh as you can get them
• 2 Baby Gem lettuces , outside leaves trimmed off
• 5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 200g cherry tomatoes , halved
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• small handful basil leaves
• 325g piece fresh tuna loin
• juice ½ lemon

FOR THE OLIVE DRESSING

• 50g black olives , preferably Niçoise, pitted
• 5 marinated anchovies fillets
• 1 garlic clove
• juice ½ lemon
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

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Difficulty and servings

Serves 2

Preparation and cooking times

Prep 20 25 mins

Cook 30 mins

Ingredients

• 300g small new potatoes
• 100g fine green beans , trimmed
• 3 eggs , as fresh as you can get them
• 2 Baby Gem lettuces , outside leaves trimmed off
• 5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 200g cherry tomatoes , halved
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• small handful basil leaves
• 325g piece fresh tuna loin
• juice ½ lemon

FOR THE OLIVE DRESSING

• 50g black olives , preferably Niçoise, pitted
• 5 marinated anchovies fillets
• 1 garlic clove
• juice ½ lemon
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

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