Niçoise, of sorts

I love a Niçoise salad when the weather agrees. I had some fresh yellow tail that I used for this salad. I think tuna on the grill is the best to get a little of that charred flavor but still keep it rare in the middle.

Also, for this particular salad I did not have fresh haricots verts but I did have a perfectly ripe avacado and some thin asparagus so the substitution was made. 

I think trusting yourself to use recipes as suggestions and not an absolute is what transforms one into a cook. 

So here is a suggestion from which you can do your thing:

4-5 oz. of yellowtail or ahi per person

Baby bib lettuce or Boston lettuce or any soft lettuce

3-4 small baby new potatoes or fingerlings per person

1 perfectly ripe avacado

1 egg per person

3-4 radishes sliced thin

4-6 spears of asparagus per person

1 lemon cut into small wedges

Dressing:

1/2 c. Extra virgin olive oil

1 shallot minced

1 T. Whole grain mustard

2T. Capers

1/4c. White wine vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste 

Place eggs in a saucepan of cold water and bring to a boil. As soon as the water comes to a boil , turn off the heat and place a lid on the saucepan. Let set for 5-6 mins. Then remove the eggs to a bowl of cold water and set aside to cool.

Put all dressing ingredients in a lidded  jar and shake to mix. 

Boil new potatoes until they are soft enough to prick through with a fork. When done, cut the potatoes in half and toss with a couple Tablespoons of the dressing and season with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool a bit. 

Toss the asparagus in a bowl with a couple dashes of olive oil and salt and pepper..

Arrange the lettuce leaves on a platter.  

Peel the eggs and cut into quarters.

Slice the avacado.

Grill the asparagus until soft but still slightly crisp and grill the tuna so it is seated on the outside but still pink in the center.

Slice the tuna

Assemble the salad on the platter layering all of the components. Including the sliced radish and lemon wedges. Season with salt and pepper and pour the dressing over the top.

Serve with a crusty bread.

Banana Blossom salad

 I have found myself in some great places recently whilst chasing the producer. My current location is Vietnam. I have taken advantage of my location and procured a couple cooking classes and market tours. One of my newly aquired favorites is Banana blossom salad.  I have often seen banana blossoms in the Thai markets of Los Angels, but never knew what to do with them. I am so happy to have another delicious salad option in my repertoire which I can post here.  This recipe will be just for the vegetarian version but you can add and grilled meat to turn it into a more substantial main.

Banana Blosom salad serves 6 as a side

1 banana blossom should be firm and fresh looking

2 medium carrots 

1 bunch cilantro

1 bunch mint

1 cucumber

1/2 c.vietnamese fish sauce ( available on line and more subtle thanThai fish sauce)

1/2 c. Sugar 

1. C. Water

1 Thai chili or substitute a more mild red chili if you don't like spicy

1 clove garlic

1/3c. Roasted salted peanuts

1 T. Sesame seeds

Peel off the outer leaves of the banan blossom and collect all of the baby banana flowers from the inside ( they look almost like a bean sprout) soak them in cold water. Ave a few of the outer blossom petals to serve the salad in ( as in the photo). Stack and roll the remaining banana blossom petals so that you chan slice them into very thin chiffonades.  Soak them in ice cold water for at least 1-2 hour to remove all of the tannic sap.  Cut the carrots into thin matchsticks. Do the same for the outer sections of the cucumber, not including the seeds.  Rough chop the herbs. Prepare the dressing. Mix the water, fish sauce, and sugar in a bowl until the sugar is dissolved. Fine chop the chile and garlic and add them to the dressing and stir all ingredients together.  If the blossom bits have soaked for a half hour, drain them very well and put in a bowl big enough to toss all ingredients together. Dress with just enough dressing to moisten all ingredients, but don't drown them. Top with peanuts and sesame seeds.

I have had this salad both with grilled shrimp and char shui pork...both yummy!