March menu: Warm Salmon Nicoise

Since having Baby Cakes, I've discovered that popping out to the grocery store is not the easy task it used to be.

In an effort to reduce the numerous trips to the grocery store necessitated by my tendency to cook whatever I want, whenever it suits me, I'm experimenting with setting weekly menus that I can shop for all at once. So far so good. I've avoided repeated trips to the grocery store and have tried out a few yummy new (fast!) recipes. Last week, among other things, I made a really delicious & simple salmon Nicoise. The fact that it's pretty healthy too is just a bonus. You can serve it warm, as I did, or chilled. It tastes even better the next day, so would make an excellent brunch dish or packed lunch. I didn't do a traditional Nicoise salad dressing with anchovies because I had just made up a huge batch of this dressing for having on hand, and it went wonderfully.

This one is definitely going in the rotation!

400 gm (about 12-14) new potatoes, any variety, halved
250 gm fresh green beans, topped & tailed
1/2 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced
1/2 sweet onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons capers (salt rinsed off), minced
1/3 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
2 large ripe tomatoes, in thin wedges
20 large pitted olives (whatever kind you like), halved

(90 ml) 1/3 cup of Glen's Mama Ro's Wicked Salad Dressing.

4 salmon fillets (you could also use halibut or tuna)
1 lemon
salt & pepper

Put a cold pot of salted water on the stove and place the eggs in it. Bring it to a boil, cover with a lid and remove from heat. Allow to stand for 9  minutes. Remove the eggs from the water. Set aside.

Return hot salted water to stove and bring to a boil again. Drop halved potatoes into the boiling salted water. After 5 minutes drop in sliced fennel. After 5 minutes more, drop in green beans. Reduce heat and simmer 5 more minutes, or until potatoes are cooked through but still firm and fennel and beans are also cooked. Drain vegetables and rinse under lukewarm water to stop the cooking, but allowing the vegetables to remain warm. Toss in a bowl with the onions, parsley, olives , capers and tomatoes. Toss with dressing . Set aside.

Peel cooked eggs and slice lengthwise into quarters. Set aside. Heat a large nonstick pan, sprayed with oil, over medium high heat. Cook the salmon steaks on each side until cooked, about 8 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. sprinkle fish with salt and pepper and squeeze lemon over it.

Spoon marinated salad onto 4 salad plates or soup plates.

Chop or break up the cooked fish and distribute over the tops of the salad. Top each serving with 4 quarters of egg.

Comments

[aforkfulofspaghetti]

Personally, I don't think you can ever have too much salade nicoise! Pretty good with hot smoked salmon, too, if you can get hold of it.

[Kevin]

Juggling nap times and babies is indeed a task. Good on ya for finding a solution.

The salad looks great. Any salad involving egg is good in my books, as is any dish involving salmon.

[Fearless Kitchen]

This looks great, and I love the fennel!

[Paula]

As I was leafing through Westworld today I stopped on this page and said to myself, I've seen that baby before. What a nice write up and a very cute photo of you and your wee one. Congrats!

[Rachael]

My darling, my darling...motherhood is such busy work!

I think this sounds fab. I hope your trips to the market become more frequent though!

Mwoah,
Rachael

[Claire P.]

Hey! I just wanted to tell you how much I had fun seeing your blog's name!
I'm studying private international law, soon in a PhD I hope, and I was too much happy to find a blog looking like the horrible "lex mercatoria" but fool of wonderful things to eat!
I love your dishes! Congratulations for everything!
And cheers for your motherhood!