Vegan Salade Nicoise

A typical Salade Nicoise is comprised of boiled new potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, steamed green beans, tomato and topped with tuna and anchovies, then drizzled with a vinaigrette.  Purists from the Nice region in France state that no cooked vegetables are to be used in a traditional Salade Nicoise.  Either way, the vegan-version was bound to have modifications. This is our take on a great, big salad, that is sure to impress.  A mixture of grilled veggies, raw veggies, and a topped with a fresh herb dressing, even Elaine Benes would be be proud.

Ingredients:

For the bbq:

2 sunburst squash, cut into 1/2 inch slices

1 zucchini, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds

6-8 button mushrooms

10 new potatoes, sliced in half

6 cloves garlic, whole and peeled

olive oil

salt and pepper

aluminum foil

For the dressing:

1/2 cup olive oil

juice of 2 lemons

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 small shallot, minced

1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

1/2 cup fresh tarragon, finely chopped

salt and pepper

Salad:

1 head green leaf lettuce, sliced into thin strips

1 cucumber, sliced (I removed the skin off my field cucumber)

1-2 roma tomatoes, sliced

1 avocado, sliced

big handful of green beans, ends trimmed

1/2 cup black olives (nicoise if you can find)

Method:

Place the new potatoes, garlic cloves, drizzle of olive oil and s & p on a large square of foil and fold over to make a pouch.  Place on your bbq on medium, checking frequently until done. They will have some colour and be soft to the touch, about 20 minutes or so.  After 10 minutes start the mushrooms, starburst squash and zucchini (which have been drizzled with olive oil as well).  When everything is done on the grill, set aside and prepare other salad items.

Lightly steam green beens, and rinse with cold water when done.  Set aside.

Whisk together vinaigrette ingredients until well combined.  You may need to add more olive oil or lemon juice, depending on desired consistency.  A dash or two of water works well to thin out the dressing, although I like the dressing on the thicker side for this dish.

On a large platter, arrange the lettuce to cover the bottom.  Then arrange the rest of the veggies, grilled and fresh, as well as the olives in whatever fashion you like and drizzle the dressing over the top.  I brought the whole platter to the table, along with serving tongs and two side plates. It was a perfect summer meal.

This dish was exquisitely paired with a bottle of BC Pinot Noir – C’est delicieux!

~The Vegan Project

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