Healthy Nicoise-Inspired Grilled Salmon Salad Recipe With Lemon Caper Dressing by Chef Gigi

Nicoise is a traditional French salad dish referring to Nice, the capital city of the Alpes-Maritimes on the French Riviera. In the 1930s, the salad was made with canned tuna. Today, recipes for nicoise salad have appeared everywhere with all sorts of variations. Here's mine, which is made with grilled salmon and a lemon caper salad dressing.

For this nicoise-style salad recipe you'll need anchovies packed in olive oil, Dijon mustard, lemon zest, lemon juice, capers, olive oil, tiny potatoes, kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes, salmon fillets, sugar snap peas, green beans, eggs, watercress and butter lettuce. The fresh, healthy ingredients all come together to make an incredible salad perfect for lunch or dinner. 

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Cuisine: French / American
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 8 anchovies packed in olive oil, drained
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 3 tablespoons fresh juice (divided)
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, and more for brushing grill
• 12 ounces very small new potatoes
• 1/2 cup kalamata olives
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 1/4 pounds skin-on salmon fillet (about 1 3/4 inches thick)
• 1 large handful of sugar snap peas, trimmed
• 1 large bunch of fresh green beans, cooked and chilled
• 6 large eggs
• 3 cups watercress, trimmed
• 3 cups butter lettuce, trimmed

Here's how to make it: 

1. Mash anchovies with a spoon in a small bowl. Add mustard, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and the capers. Gradually whisk in 1/2 cup oil. Season with salt and pepper. Chill.
2. Cover potatoes with 2 inches of water in a pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until knife-tender, about 12 minutes. Drain. Let stand until cool enough to handle, then halve potatoes. Set aside.
3. Heat grill to medium-high. Brush salmon lightly with oil, sprinkle with zest and the remaining 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper. Brush grill grates with oil, then place salmon on the grill, skin-side down. Cook until skin is crisp and browned, about 5 to 6 minutes a side for medium-rare and 8 minutes for medium. Remove from grill. Cool and place in the fridge while making the eggs.
4. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove into an ice bath to retain color. Pat dry and set aside. Using the same water, gently lower eggs into a pot and simmer for 8 minutes. Drain, then run under cold water to stop cooking. Peel and halve.
5. Pour half of the dressing into a serving bowl. Add potatoes and toss to coat. Add watercress and butter lettuce, peas and beans and toss again.
6. Place a bed of lettuce on a serving dish and compose a salad by arranging the eggs, beans, peas, olives and cherry tomatoes. Flake the salmon or add one significant piece in the center. Serve with the remaining dressing on the side.

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