Veggie Niçoise

Something of a vegetarian Niçoise, this salad evoked strong memories of ‘mum’s cooking’ within the test kitchen. There’s something about hot potatoes tossed in vinegar that feels seriously comforting.

Logistics

• Make in advance and take to a picnic, or enjoy as part of a larger lunch spread.
• Serves 4 as a side.
• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• ½ banana shallot, peeled and finely sliced into 2mm rings
• 400g fine green beans, trimmed
• 15g basil, picked and finely chopped
• 15g parsley, picked and finely chopped
• 2 tbsp capers, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp dijon mustard
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 waxy potato, yukon gold or similar (270g), peeled, quartered and cut into 5mm slices
• 4 large eggs, fridge cold
• 2 tbsp pitted black olives, roughly torn
• 1 tsp za’atar
• Fine sea salt and black pepper

Procedure

1. Mix the shallots with the vinegar in a small bowl and set aside to pickle.
2. Place a medium saucepan of well salted water over a high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the beans and cook for 4 minutes until tender, then remove with a slotted spoon (keeping the water in the pan) and transfer to a bowl. Cool under running water, then strain and roughly chop. Transfer back into the dry bowl and mix with the herbs, capers, mustard, oil and a good grind of pepper. Set aside.
3. Next cook the potatoes for 6 minutes, remove with a slotted spoon, allowing any liquid to steam off, then gently mix into the beans, along with the vinegar from the shallot mixture, leaving the shallots separate.
4. Boil the eggs for 7 minutes, then run under cold water, peel and halve.
5. To serve, spread the bean mixture on a large plate, top with the eggs, olives and pickled shallots, and sprinkle the za’atar on top.