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The Perfect Salad Niçoise
Every celebrity chef gives it their own “spin,” but more isn’t necessarily better
Nee-What?
Salade niçoise (pronounced ni-swaz) is a main dish salad that originated in Nice, France, probably sometime in the late 19th century. That initial salad began as a plate of fresh tomatoes, anchovies, and olive oil — a simple meal for poor people.
In 1903, Henri Heyraud published a cookbook of French cuisine entitled “La Cuisine à Nice.” His version of the salad included the traditional tomatoes and anchovies, but added artichokes and black olives. A few years later, the famous chef Escoffier added potatoes and green beans. Former Nice mayor and cookbook author Jacques Médecin brilliantly suggested hard-cooked eggs. In my humble opinion, that is where the declaration of “what constitutes a perfect salade niçoise” should end. This is perfection.
Although no one questions the origin of the original recipe, the proper ingredients have certainly become controversial. And it seems that every person who claims to be a “chef” (yes, the quotes are appropriate in my humble opinion) has their own unique and clever spin.
Among the more brow-raising concepts I found online are:
- Ina Garten and Rachel Ray added salmon.
