Tête De Moine

Nicoise Salad with Tête De Moine

Delicate rosettes of Tête De Moine cheese add elegance and intrigue to a dish. With its sharp flavor and just the right amount of funk, it pairs especially well with the flavors of a Niçoise salad. With jammy soft-boiled eggs, a mix of haricort verts and snow peas, and fresh basil, it’s a bright, modern twist on this classic salad.
Yield
4 servings
Prep Time
Cook Time
Total Time

Ingredients

  • 2 cups fingerling potatoes, washed
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 pound salmon, cut into 2 pieces
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1/2 lemon, sliced
  • 1 cup haricorts verts (French green beans), washed and trimmed
  • 1 cup snow peas, washed and trimmed
  • 2 green onions, roughly chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
  • 2 anchovy filets
  • 6-8 basil leaves
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • 1 head curly endive or butter lettuce, washed
  • 12 fresh basil leaves
  • 1/2 cup mixed olives
  • 2 tablespoons capers
  • 12 florets Tête De Moine cheese

Method

  1. Place potatoes in medium pot. Cover with cold water and season with salt. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat slightly and cook until potatoes are fork-tender, about 25 minutes. Drain and set potatoes aside to cool.
  2. Fill a separate pot with about 3 inches of water. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Use a slotted spoon to lower eggs into water. Cook 7 minutes for soft boiled. If you prefer a firmer yolk, boil 10-12 minutes. Transfer eggs to ice bath to cool.
  3. Season salmon with salt. Add wine, 1/2 cup water and to sauté pan. Bring liquid to simmer over medium high heat. Add salmon and lemon slices to pan. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Cook until salmon is opaque and cooked through, 5-10 minutes. Remove salmon from pan and set aside.
  4. To blanch the green beans and snow peas, bring a small pot of water to a boil and prepare an ice bath. Add green beans and snow peas to boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain and immediately place in ice bath to stop cooking. Drain and set aside.
  5. To prepare the dressing, in a blender or food processor, combine green onions, garlic, anchovy fillets, basil leaves, lemon juice, mustard, vinegar, olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Blend until smooth with small flecks of herbs.
  6. Once potatoes are cooled, cut into 3/4-inch slices. Toss in 3 tablespoons of dressing
  7. Salad can be assembled on a platter or individual plates. Place endive or butter lettuce on platter. Arrange salmon in center of salad and gently flake with a fork. Season with black pepper and top with capers. Arrange green beans, snow peas, potatoes, basil and olives around patter. Slice eggs in half and place on platter. Finish with Tête De Moine florets. Serve with remaining dressing.