Smoked Salmon Nicoise is a tweak on the traditional Tuna Nicoise Salad. What makes this salad superb is the delicate smoky salmon and all the fresh farmer’s market ingredients. It’s only spring here, so some of our best Northwest ingredients aren’t in farmer’s markets for a couple more months, like the green beans and tomatoes!  However, you can acquire organic green beans and tomatoes at most stores, like Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s. Make this salad now and then make it again in the summer when foods are at their peak. You’ll freak. It’s insanely good in the summer, but pretty magnificent anytime of year!  Think Sunday brunch …

INGREDIENTS

Makes four salads

• 8 ounces small organic new red potatoes (or small yukons or small purple)
• 1/2 lb fresh organic green beans, trimmed and cut into 3″ lengths
• 4 large organic farm eggs, boiled, peeled and cut in half
• 3-4 vine ripened organic tomatoes (if you can get heirlooms, please buy them for this recipe!)
• 3 T extra virgin olive oil for caper saute, plus 1/2 C extra virgin olive oil for dressing
• 1/3 C capers, drained, dried
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 4 anchovy fillets packed in oil
• 1 T whole grain Dijon mustard
• 1/4 C fresh lemon juice
• 1 T fresh lemon zest
• 2 medium shallots, finely chopped
• 1 T fresh dill, chopped
• 1 T cracked black pepper
• Kosher salt (as needed)
• 1 lb Wild Caught Smoked Salmon, bones removed
• 1/2 C niçoise olives, pitted and slice in half
• 1/4 C black olives (optional)
• 4 C organic mixed greens, about 1/2 lb.
• Fresh organic dill sprigs, about 2 ounces
• 1 large lemon, sliced into segments for assembly

• In a medium stock pot, bring water to boil. Add eggs and cook for approximately 10 minutes.
• In another medium stock pot saucepan, fill with about 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Add potatoes to a steamer basket and place over the boiling water (or a metal colander). Cover and steam for about 10 min. until tender (not mushy!) when pierced with a fork. Once cooked, transfer to a bowl of ice water. Once eggs are cooked, add eggs to the ice water, as well.  Completely cool, remove potatoes to a colander and completely drain.  Pat dry.
• With potato water still boiling, add your trimmed, cut green beans to the steamer basket. Cover and cook for about 4 minutes. You want them to be slightly crisp for a nice bite. Once cooked, add to another bowl of ice water to stop cooking process.  Let completely cool, drain completely and set aside until salad assembly.
• In a sauce pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-high. Add capers and saute for about 5 minutes until the capers burst and caramelize slightly.  Transfer to paper towels to drain. Let oil cool; set aside until assembly
• Carefully slice cooled, peeled eggs in half and set aside until assembly
• Carefully slice cooled, drained potatoes in half or in quarters depending on the size.  Skins on!
• Slice tomatoes into quarters or thirds depending on size
• In a small bowl, add anchovies, mustard, lemon juice, lemon zest and mash together so you break down the anchovy into a paste. Add shallot and 1 tablespoon dill and whisk in 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil. Taste for acid. If needed add more lemon juice. Last for saltiness. If needed, add a little Kosher salt and a tablespoon of cracked black pepper.
• Divide the salmon equally into four portions, lightly flaking salmon into chunky bites.
• On four salad plates, place one cup of mixed greens on each plate. Arrange smoked salmon, sliced eggs, green beans, sliced potatoes and tomatoes on top of greens. Spinkle equal amounts of olives and capers on each salad. Garnish with fresh dill sprigs and lemon slices.  Serve with dressing on the side.