It's a quiet day at the Balch house. Kids are at school, hubby is in the city for the day...dog is recovering on the couch from a day of playing with our friend's dogs. It was a busy intense eating and drinking kinda of weekend.
So when I turned my sights to this week's French Friday's recipe I was thrilled. A "recovery salad" light and filled with healthy things: tuna, eggs, boiled potatoes, green beans, olives, capers... The recipe calls for tomatoes, but they are no longer in season so I substituted some roasted peppers.
I sat down in the streaming sunlight of early afternoon and was transported to a quiet French bistro somewhere on a side street in Paris.
Salade Nicoise is a classic French salad and it is not hard to understand why... The tuna is balanced by the eggs, the olives by the potatoes, the green beans and tomatoes add a little spark... covered over in a simple dijon vinaigrette...
I am restored.
Ready to face my busy week.
Bon Appetit.
but please improvise with what you have on hand.
Hey, Dorista's you are invited to join my new linky party. Cook a recipe of your choice from the chosen country and explore the world with us. Oct 8TH: POLAND
Add your email to our list and I will remind you a week before the party and on the day of the party so you won't forget to link up.
Note: As a member of French Friday's with Dorie I am not allowed to print the recipe. I invite you to take a look at this wonderful cookbook "Around My French Table" if you are interested in this or any other recipe I review.
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I noshed on variations of this salad all summer long - its perfect food when you need to eat but don't want to fuss too much.
ReplyDeleteSometimes, a quiet house is a beautiful thing.
I wish we made this salad earlier. I would have loved to have been eating this all summer.
DeleteYes, peace and quiet are a good thing on occasion.
Love this salad that you have made. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThanks it is something you can eat that tastes good and you know it's good for you.
DeleteOh goodness, this looks lovely! I am in full on salad mode with this detox thing I'm trying this month. I've been craving nicoise salad and this is going to have to go on my menu next week! This week I've been scarfing down a version of Ina Garten's salmon salad like it's my job :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like a plan to me...LOL.
DeleteYour salad looks lovely! Mine looked like a dog's breakfast but still tasted good.
ReplyDeleteOh my quite a description. Now I have to see the picture.
DeleteThat looks like the perfect crazy night, need food kind of salad!! It looks delicious Diane. :)
ReplyDeleteThis is a good break from sweets and rich dinners.
DeleteYour salad looks delicious. I haven't eaten boiled eggs for a very long time and the combination with leaf salad and tuna is more than fantastic. I will definitely try your recipe in the next few days.
ReplyDeleteanyclean
I was surprised at how good the boiled potatoes are with dressing on them. Really a great combination of foods.
DeleteYour salad looks very inviting and simple..A good fast meal ..
ReplyDeleteThank you Judee it is a wonderful quick and healthy meal.
DeleteBeautiful presentation and photo, Diane! Loved this as well :)
ReplyDeleteFunny, that's the same thing I was thinking about yours.
DeleteThe proportions of all the components in your presentation are perfect! I ate this twice, today! Got better and completed by dinner.
ReplyDeleteThanks Emily... I think I had a great mix in this salad. It was truly wonderful.
DeleteSounds like this salad came at the perfect time for you!
ReplyDeleteI can't tell you how perfect the timing was... I love when life and food work out.
DeletePeace and quiet and a salad - sounds like my idea of heaven. Just not this salad. And maybe some cake to go with it.
ReplyDeleteYou make me laugh Mardi... I from Puritanical Connecticut. Eating something healthy puts me into a state of grace.
DeleteUnfortunately, Diane, I'm a High Episcopalian and I interpret that religion to mean that eating some with sugar can put me in a state of grace. Now, admittedly, that is my own interpretation but they haven't thrown me out yet. Seriously, I do love every ingredient in this salad except those anchoives. I made a rather large salad but held the dressing and have been able to nosh on it for two days. Yours looks quite lovely as well as delicious. Very nice.
ReplyDeleteDeprivation, deprivation is the Yankee way. High Episcopalian and Catholics (which is my background) know how to indulge... but being around so many Congregationalists I have that puritanical too.
DeleteHa Diane! I just noticed the old Italian saying at the top of your blog! Very funny and pretty true:) Luckily for us in Oklahoma we are still enjoying tomatoes, but not for much longer I am afraid. Your salad looks delicious! And here in Oklahoma I feel sure our conservative religious convictions can compete with any section of the country:)
ReplyDeleteWhat we have left of tomatoes won't ripen. It's fried green tomato time here. Glad you like the saying. It was told to me when I was 14 years old by the owner of tiny family restaurant. He said it because my sister was in too much of a hurry to finish her meal and leave.
DeleteA delicious looking salad niçoise. We really enjoyed this and will be repeating it again. Loved all the
ReplyDeleteingredients. Have a great weekend.
Thanks Nana,
DeleteI just read your post, glad you guys enjoyed it too.
You are so right, Diane. This salad is restorative. We still had a few tomatoes in our farm share this week, fortunately. I like the idea of roasted peppers to make this an all-year-round salad. Hope the peace at home was also restorative. Have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteYes, both the salad and the quiet day helped me for the rest of the busy week. Which just ended with a big chutney and cheese tasting, Wine had to be involved too. Fun but I am ready for another rest.
DeleteI just noticed that you have a Ruskin quote on your blog. Were you an English major? I don't know many people who know John Ruskin.
I adored this salad - and yours looks mighty fine.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much... it was heaven. I think I need it again today. Had a big lunch yesterday,,,, feeling the after effects.
DeleteMe too! I have been making a version of this for my after-workout lunches all summer long, it's great! :) Have a great weekend Diane!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea for an after workout meal. I read you should eat protein and this salad is full of good protein and other wonderful things.
DeleteDiane, very pretty presentation of your wonderful salad! Glad that you enjoyed this classic French salad so much!
ReplyDeleteHave a good week!
Thanks Andrea... it was a gem.
DeleteHi, I love this kind of salad, it's so healthy! I saw it at all my bloggy friends party.
ReplyDeleteJulie @ julieslifestyle.blogspot.com
Thanks Julie,
DeleteWhat I love about it is that it tastes as delicious as it is healthy.
This is definitely the perfect restorative dinner. Healthy, but still filling and delicious. Sounds like you all had a fun weekend!
ReplyDeleteI love 'restorative salads' like this - especially those with a lovely French twist! Thank you for sharing, Diane.
ReplyDeleteYes, a Paris fantasy definitely adds to the restoration.
Delete