If you’ve never heard of Nice, may I humbly suggest that maybe now it’s time to let some sunshine in your life. Just a thought. I will spare you dear readers by not presenting an exhaustive history of the region other than say that Nice has been around for a few years let’s say, since 350 BC, when the Greeks founded a permanent settlement and called it Nikaia, after Nike, the goddess of victory or maybe after the oracle of the running shoe. And then there was something about sunbathing that apparently fascinated the Greeks but records are a little vague on that point. Fast forward history to when Nice became quite the fashion place for the wealthy and aristocratic families and one most definately wanted to be seen in Nice a fact that to this day has not really changed. Nice’s main promenade, the Promenade des Anglais or “the Walkway of the English” owes its name to some of the earliest tourists who, on learning there was sun in the South of France, sought permanent refuge from their dreadful English weather. From that point on, it became a heaven for such artists as Chagalle and Matisse who made it their inspirational home. I should add even some American tourists came to look and play including my grandparents who would arrive with all the children for long, arduous summers in the late 20’s. Today, Nice attracts 4 million pasty-white tourist each year many of whom suffer from an abundance of new found wealth, boredom and ennui (so much more fashionable to say it that way) and generally excess time on their hands. Nothing is more destructive to this lovely town, in fact any town, than busloads of tourists mixing it up with the new and quite ghastly “nouveau riche.” You have those who are loading up on French trinkets made in China (oui Madame, c’est du pays) and enjoying a “true” French meal from the Super U in Nice (ask if they have any real ketchup, Harry!) On the other end, you have those dreadful people spooning heaps of caviar into their gullets, how terribly déclassé is that? Then washing it down with Champagne that costs just a bit more than my monthly mortgage and to relieve the boredom, buying villas as if they were hotels on a damn Monopoly board game. Get the picture? Case closed. Now on to food.
Salmon Salade Niçoise
Ingredients
2 4-ounce 1-inch-thick skinless salmon fillets
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon, crumbled
2 small (about 3 ounces each) red potatoes
6 ounces green beans, cut into 3-inch pieces
6 romaine lettuce leaves
2 small tomatoes, cut into quarters
2 hard-boiled eggs, cut into quarters
1 green onion, finely sliced
1 tablespoon capers
Lemon-Mustard Vinaigrette*
Preparation
First make sure your deck chair (quaint term for a lounge or beach chair) is facing towards the brilliant blue Mediterranean sea. Then open a bottle of nicely chilled Rose de Provence and ensure the right standard of quality is being maintained. Now your are ready to prepare this dish.
Place salmon in heavy medium skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with tarragon. Add enough water to skillet to just cover salmon. Cover and simmer salmon over medium-low heat until salmon is opaque but still pink in center, about 7 minutes. Using spatula, transfer salmon to plate and refrigerate until chilled. Reserve water in skillet. Check on the wine.
Return water in skillet to boil. Add potatoes to skillet. Cover and simmer until potatoes are just tender when pierced with your assault knife, about 10 minutes. Transfer potatoes to plate. Cool and slice. Reserve water in skillet.
Add enough additional water to skillet to cover bottom by 1 inch. Bring water to boil. Add beans. Cover and simmer over high heat until beans are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Rinse beans under cold water to cool. Drain. (This can be prepared up to 6 hours ahead; refrigerate.)
Arrange lettuce leaves (this has always been the difficult part for me) on the plates. Top each with salmon fillet. Arrange half of potatoes, green beans, tomatoes and hard-boiled eggs decoratively around each salmon fillet. Sprinkle half of green onions and capers over each salmon fillet. Serve, passing vinaigrette separately.
*Lemon-Mustard Vinaigrette
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, pressed
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon, crumbled
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
Combine first 4 ingredients in small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Now about those wines…
I could take you all around robin-hood’s barn on this but I think when you find yourself in a region such as the South of France, why not live off the land. It’s tough going I know. The food is spectacular and the wines are delicious to a fault. With that said…
Domaine Saint Andre de Figuiere (red) Cotes de Provence Rouge Vielle Vignes
Domaine de Trevallon (red) Vin de Pays des Alpilles
Domaine Beaulieu (red) Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence Chateau des Gavelles Rouge
Coteaux d’Aix en Provence (white)
Cotes de Provence (white)
Bandol Les Amandiers (rose)
Coteau Varois en Provence (rose)
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