Nicoise Salad

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Ingredients:

12 ounces fresh green beans
12 ounces small red potatoes
1 head Boston lettuce, leaves torn into pieces
3 hard boiled eggs
1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes
4 ounces canned tuna (canned in oil)
2 ounces canned anchovy fillets
1 Tablespoon drained capers
1/4  cup pitted and sliced Kalamata olives

Potato Marinade

2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/3 cup water
2 Tablespoons minced shallots
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

Vinaigrette

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon lemon zest
2 Tablespoons minced shallots
5 Tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preparation:

Step 1 – green beans

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil.  Add green beans and boil until beans are just tender, about 6 minutes.  Immediately remove beans from pot and transfer to a bowl of ice water.  Once beans are chilled, transfer to a bowl, pat dry and refrigerate.

Step 2 – Potato Seasoning

In a bowl, whisk together vinegar, water, shallots, olive oil, salt and pepper.  Set aside while you prepare potatoes.

Step 3 - Potatoes

Place potatoes in a steamer basket in a saucepan containing 2 inches of water and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to moderate, cover tightly and steam for 15 to 30 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked through.  When potatoes are just cool enough to handle, peel and cut them into quarters or slices, then place in a bowl.  Pour potato seasoning over warm potatoes, gently tossing without breaking up potatoes.

Step 4 – Vinaigrette

Whisk Dijon mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, lemon zest, shallots, and live oil in a bowl until emulsified.  Season with salt and pepper.

Step 5 – Assemble salad

Toss lettuce leaves in 2 tablespoons of vinaigrette then arrange on a large platter.  Spoon potatoes over lettuce and arrange eggs alongside; drizzle 1 tablespoon vinaigrette over both. Toss green beans and tomatoes in 1 tablespoon of dressing and arrange on lettuce.  Add tuna, anchovies, capers and olives on top.  Pass remaining dressing at the table.

History:

Recipe comes from Julia Child.

Fish Quenelles

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QUENELLES MUST BE REFRIGERATED OVERNIGHT

                           BEFORE COOKING

Quenelles

Ingredients:

7 oz. fish fillet (rockcod, halibut, seabass)
2 eggs 
5 fl. oz. heavy cream
2 oz. unsalted butter (soft, cut in cubes)
Salt, pepper
Cayenne pepper

Preparation:

Half freeze fish fillets and place them into a cold food processor bowl.  Blend them to almost a paste for 20-30 seconds.

2.    Put the eggs into the processor with the fish and blend for another 20-30 seconds .  Season with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper, if desired.

3.    Restart the processor and slowly pour the cream in and after 20-30 seconds add in the soft butter.  Process another 20-30 seconds.

4.    Transfer the mixture into a clean bowl and place a sheet of plastic wrap on top, ensuring that the wrap is in total contact with the mix. 

Place in the refrigerator overnight.

THE FOLLOWING DAY:

Poach quenelles.

Poaching Liquid

1 clove garlic, cut in half
1 small twig thyme
2 pinches of salt
Simmering water in a large pan

1. Bring a pan of water to a simmer then add garlic, thyme and salt.
   
2. Using a deep dessert spoon (heated in hot water then dried) scoop enough mixture to form a quenelle shape and place into the simmering water.  Repeat the process until you have the desired number of quenelles.
   
3. Cook quenelles 15 minutes, turning the quenelles over every 5 minutes.
   
4.  After 15 minutes, the quenelles will be cooked and should be placed on a paper towel to drain.

      At this point, the quenelles can be eaten with a hollandaise sauce, a warmed beurre blanc, but they will be better with a Cognac Cream Shrimp Sauce.

Cognac Cream Shrimp Sauce

Ingredients:
8 oz. tiger shrimp (shelled) then crush shells with rolling pin and cut shrimp in small pieces
1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon carrot, cut in rough cubes
1 Tablespoon celery, roughly chopped
2 Tablespoons sliced shallots
1 Tablespoon finely sliced leek (white part)
1 garlic clove (crushed)
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
2 Tablespoons cognac
Salt, pepper
12 fl. oz. fish broth, reduced to 6 oz.
8 oz. heavy cream

Make the Sauce

1.    Melt the butter in a saute pan on high heat and add the shrimp shells.  Add the carrot, garlic, shallots, celery and leeks and mix in.  Season with salt and pepper.  Reduce the heat a little and add tomato paste. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 2 minutes.

2.      Raise the heat, and when the pan is heated, add the cognac and (making sure the exhaust fan is off) burn off the alcohol and mix again.

3.     Add the cream, turn down the heat and mix well.  Allow cream to reduce a little.

4.     Reduce the heat to a minimum.  Taste the sauce and correct the seasoning if necessary.  Turn off the heat. 

5.     Poach the shelled shrimp in fish broth for a few minutes.  Remove shrimp and reserve them.

6.     When the fish stock is adequately reduced, pass the cream sauce through a sieve into the stock.  Press down on the sauce to extract as much of the flavor as possible.  Reduce the sauce to a spoon coating consistency.  Add in reserved shrimp.

7.     Preheat the oven to 375 degrees ensuring the top element is on.

8.     Place the quenelles in an ovenproof dish and ladle sufficient sauce over the quenelles to fill the dish halfway.

Place the dish towards the top of the oven and cook for 10 minutes, by which time the quenelles will be hot and ready to serve.

Variation:
Try different types of fish such as salmon, or veal and chicken.

History:
Recipe comes from the French Cooking Academy.