Niçoise salad (pronounced nē’swäz) originated in Nice, located on the southeast coast of France along the Mediterranean Sea. Traditionally, Niçoise salad is comprised of fresh tuna and raw vegetables, with hard-boiled eggs, anchovies, olive oil and regionally grown olives. My version takes the recipe on a journey through South Florida cuisine with locally sourced products.
Ingredients
Main dish
- 12 oz. grouper fillet
- 8 oz. fresh green beans, trimmed
- 10 cherry tomatoes
- Fresh spinach
Fish Marinade
- 1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp. lemon zest
- Kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper to taste
Salad Dressing
- 1/2 c. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 c. fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 c. Kalamata olives, sliced
- 1/3 c. red onion, finely diced
- 2 tbsp. capers, drained
- 1/3 c. roasted red pepper, sliced
- 1 15 oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped
- 1/3 c. fresh Italian parsley, chopped
- 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp. lemon zest
- Kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper to taste
Preparation
Coat grouper with fish marinade and refrigerate for 60 minutes. Blanch green beans, cool and set aside. Prepare salad dressing and refrigerate. Grill fish, charring one side over hot grate for just a few minutes. With a metal spatula, flip fish onto foil or over a bed of lemon slices, until cooked to your desire. Arrange a hearty bed of spinach surrounded with blanched green beans. Drizzle liquid from salad dressing over greens. Arrange fish on center of platter and surround fillets with a healthy portion of salad dressing. Garnish platter with sliced cherry tomatoes and grilled lemon slices. Enjoy!
