"Norcal" Nicoise Salad – Layered for Your Pleasure

I know I’ve made fun of salads served in Mason jars before, but when I was asked to contribute a layered Nicoise to an Allrecipes Easter feature, I immediately thought of this tragically hip presentation. Also, I didn’t have a straight-sided, see-through glass bowl to do the layered salad in.

I love a good Nicoise, and it’s perfect for layering, especially if you slice/chop up the ingredients first. Not only will your layers be easier to keep straight, but chopped salads are always a pleasure to toss with dressing. Speaking of which, I really enjoyed this avocado spiked French-style vinaigrette, and it paired perfectly with the rich, fatty, olive oil-packed tuna. 

Look for something from Spain or Italy, and you will be impressed with how much nicer it is than the stuff Charlie and his buddies are pushing. So, whether you composed this on a plate, in the classic fashion, or follow my lead, and create the world’s trendiest Nicoise, I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!


Ingredients for Nicoise (amounts are up to you)
3-4 ounces per person olive-oil packed tuna
tender green beans
Yukon gold potatoes
cherry tomatoes
hard boiled eggs
Nicoise olives, or other pitted olives
parsley and/or chives
anchovy fillets, optional

Ingredients for the dressing:
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 anchovy fillets
2 teaspoons minced shallots
1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/4 cup ripe avocado
1/3 cup olive oil, or more to taste
freshly ground black pepper
pinch cayenne
water as needed to adjust texture
salt to taste