If I’ve learned anything from observing my mother cook over the years, it’s the importance of eliminating unnecessary steps while still putting out delicious food.
When I started cooking professionally, I was keen to impress my mother with my culinary know-how: That meant doing things like making veal stock from scratch, using up every pot and utensil in her kitchen and taking an entire day to put out a meal, a day that would end with the both of us stressed and exhausted.
When I visit my parents in Maine, I notice that my mother cooks food that is varied and tasty, often with ingredients that she has grown, while still being able to remain calm and enjoy the rest of her day. One example of her approach is her No-Toss Niçoise Salad. A Nicoise is a salad that you find on many menus year round, but it really should be prepared around the end of August, when potatoes have started to come in and there still are wonderful local tomatoes and green beans.
The way my mother makes it is simplicity itself: Rather than making a special dressing and tossing the salad with the dressing, you simply lay out the ingredients on a large platter, season them, and sprinkle them with oil and vinegar.
Note: Do not refrigerate the potatoes if you can help it.
My Mother’s No-Toss Niçoise Salad
Serves 4.
Ingredients
2 large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced into ⅓ -inch slices
2 large eggs
⅓ pound green beans, stemmed
2 ripe tomatoes, cut in wedges
Small handful spring onion, thinly julienned
16 pitted Niçoise olives
6 anchovy filets, thinly julienned
Optional; 12 small basil or arugula leaves
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons aged red wine vinegar
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
Directions
Place the sliced potatoes in a small pot and barely cover with water. Add a generous pinch of salt, bring to a boil, and simmer about 6-8 minutes, just until tender. Carefully remove the potatoes from the water with a wire skimmer and cool to room temperature.
Place the eggs in a small pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer 8 minutes. Shock the eggs in ice water and peel. Cut the eggs into 6 equal-sized wedges.
Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook about 1-2 minutes , depending on size and thickness. Shock in ice water and drain well.
To assemble the salad, start with a large oval platter. Place the potatoes on the platter, followed by the green beans, then the eggs, then the tomatoes, then the onion, olives, anchovies and optional greens. Season the salad with the salt and pepper, then drizzle with the olive oil, then the black pepper. Serve immediately.
