Poached Salmon Nicoise Salad
A bright, colorful Mediterranean salad
Ingredients
Salad Dressing
- 2 medium lemons divided
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons minced shallot from one small shallot
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey optional
- 1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
Salad
- 1 pound skinless salmon fillet cut into 2-4 pieces
- 1/2 pound French green beans haricots verts
- 3/4 pound baby potatoes about 6, cut in half or quarters
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups mixed baby greens
- 1 cup grape tomatoes
- 1 medium English cucumber cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/3 cup pitted olives Nicoise or Kalamata
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing. Collect 1 teaspoon of zest and 4 tablespoons of juice from one of the lemons. Combine this with the olive oil, shallot, mustard, honey, anchovy paste, and half of the salt, tarragon, and pepper in a small bowl or jar. Whisk well and set this aside.
- Poach the salmon. In a sauté pan, combine 1/3 cup of water with about one tablespoon of lemon juice from the second lemon. Slice the rest of the lemon and lay the slices on the bottom of the pan. Season the salmon fillets with the remaining salt, pepper, and tarragon, then lay them over the lemon slices. Bring the pan to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and let the salmon poach gently for 5-10 minutes or until opaque and it flakes easily when a knife is inserted into the flesh. Remove the salmon from the pan and let it cool.
- While the salmon poaches, cook the vegetables. Fill a Dutch oven or large saucepan with about 4 cups of water and add salt if desired. Bring this to a boil and add the potatoes. Boil for about 8 minutes, or until they're just knife-tender. Add the green beans and boil for 2-4 more minutes until they're crisp, but tender.
- Fill a large bowl with water and ice. Use a slotted spoon to remove the vegetables and transfer them to the ice bath. Reserve the boiling water, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook the eggs for 7-12 minutes. Seven minutes will yield jammy yolks, and 12 minutes will yield hard-cooked yolks. For jammy yolks, transfer them to an ice bath to prevent overcooking. Peel the eggs and cut them in half lengthwise.
- Season the salmon and cooked vegetables by placing them in a bowl and spooning about 1/2 of the dressing over. Coat everything well for flavor.
- Lay the baby greens on a serving platter. Arrange the salmon, green beans, potatoes, tomatoes, cucumber, and olives in sections over the greens. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the salad or serve it on the side if desired.
Notes
Keep leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to three days.
You can make the dressing three days in advance and prep the salad ingredient5 one day in advance. Store each ingredient in a separate container and compose the salad when you're ready to serve.
Nutrition
Calories: 552kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 34gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 249mgSodium: 662mgPotassium: 1455mgFiber: 6gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 1399IUVitamin C: 65mgCalcium: 122mgIron: 4mg
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