Steak Salad Niçoise

Warmer days bring a change in foods that satisfy our tastebuds. Salads that bring together the freshness of the season combined with a few items found in your pantry, are always a welcome option.

Salad Niçoise [nee-swahz; French nee-swaz]  is a beautiful salad said to have been created in Nice, France in the early 1900s. As with most classic dishes, the recipe evolves through the generations. I looked through dozens of recipes from different decades and they all vary slightly. There are several common denominators in a Salad Niçoise – potatoes, haricots verts, and tuna. But the Engineer likes a nice cut of beef.

This version seems to have something for everyone including those unique ingredients, starting with the roasted potatoes and fresh haricots verts – elegant, slender green beans. They are teamed with crisp bell peppers, plump tomatoes, marinated artichoke hearts, sweet red onion, and fruity Kalamata olives. To finish, serve with pan-seared beef filets and top with tangy capers.

Toss with your favorite vinaigrette or a simple drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Adding the roasted potatoes and haricots verts to the salad while they’re still warm brings an unexpected surprise to the salad. Roast them with olive oil, a bit of kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper – easy and perfect.

And there’s nothing easier than pan-searing beef filets!

All the makings of a simple and glorious feast!

Steak Salad Niçoise

12 to 14 small Yukon gold potatoes, rinsed

4-½ tablespoons olive oil, divided

2-½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided

1-½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, divided

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 pound haricots verts, thin French green beans*

4 to 5 cups fresh mixed greens

10 to 12 small tomatoes, halved or quartered

½ cucumber, sliced

½ green bell pepper, sliced into thin strips

½ cup thinly sliced red onion

1 small jar marinated artichoke hearts, about 6.5 ounces

½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted

2 beef filets, about 8 to 9 ounces each

2 tablespoons capers

For dressing, a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil or your favorite Champagne or balsamic vinaigrette.

*The haricots verts are now more commonly found in markets than in years past. If you can’t find them opt for fresh green beans, adjusting roasting time as needed.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with a Silpat liner or foil. Toss the potatoes with 1-½ tablespoons olive oil and season with ½ teaspoon of the kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper and the dried parsley. Roast at 400-degrees for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife.

Line a 2nd rimmed baking sheet with a Silpat liner or foil. Toss the green beans with 1-½ tablespoons olive oil and season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Roast at 400-degrees for 20 minutes or until the beans are just tender when pierced with a knife.

For the beef filets:

Coat all sides of each filet with olive oil. Season generously with 1-1/2 teaspoons of the kosher salt and 1 teaspoon of the pepper. If you like a spicier steak, use all the remaining pepper. Using a flat meat mallet gently press each steak to a thickness of approximately one inch.

Let the steaks rest for 30 minutes at room temperature prior to cooking. You want the center of the meat at room temperature, so they cook evenly. Lightly spray a cast iron skillet with cooking spray. Heat over a temperature just slightly below medium-high until the pan is very hot. Place the steaks in the pan and cook for 3 minutes and do not move them.

Turn the steaks and cook on the other side for an additional 4 minutes for medium rare.

Transfer the steaks to a platter and cover tightly with foil. Let them rest for 10 minutes before cutting. If you like a steak, medium to medium-well, let them rest in the skillet.

To serve:

Start by piling the mixed greens on a large platter.

Arrange the potatoes, the beans, tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, onion, artichoke hearts, and olives around the platter on top of the mixed greens. Nestle the beef fillets in the center and sprinkle the capers over the top.

Drizzle with your favorite vinaigrette or extra-virgin olive oil.

Serves 4.