Salmon Niçoise with Charred Scallion Pesto

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4

We’ve taken the classic Niçoise salad from Provence to a new level, replacing the traditional tuna with Dijon-roasted salmon and the vinaigrette with a scallion (spring or green onion) pesto. The spring onions (also known as eschallots) are first cooked in a cast-iron skillet over high heat until nicely charred, then blended with anchovies, capers, garlic and olive oil, plus lots of fresh herbs for brightness. This beautifully composed salad features little gem lettuce, which like baby cos boasts a crunchy texture and a slightly sweet taste.

Ingredients

For the charred scallion pesto:

12 spring onions, white portion and some of the green portion
1 Tbs. canola or other neutral oil
2 cups (60 g) packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup (15 g) packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
4 oil-cured anchovy fillets, roughly chopped
1 Tbs. capers
1 garlic clove
2/3 cup (160 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbs. white wine vinegar
Sea or kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

For the salmon:

750 g centre-cut skinless salmon fillet
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
500 g small kipfler potatoes (or other baby potatoes)
1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
375 g green beans, trimmed
Juice from 1/2 lemon
4 eggs
1 head little gem lettuce, stemmed and leaves separated
3/4 cup (115 g) assorted olives
6 radishes, stems intact and halved lengthwise
1 avocado, pitted, peeled and thinly sliced
Flaky sea salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 200°C.
To make the pesto, heat a cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add the spring onions and cook, turning occasionally, until charred and softened, about 10 minutes, adding the canola oil halfway through cooking. Transfer to a chopping board and trim the ends. Roughly chop the spring onions, then transfer to a food processor. Add the basil, parsley, anchovies, capers and garlic and pulse until blended. While pulsing, pour in the olive oil and vinegar and process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and a few generous grindings of pepper. Set aside.
To make the salmon, pat the salmon dry with paper towels. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and brush with the mustard. Season with salt and pepper, then drizzle with the olive oil. Roast until the salmon is opaque throughout, about 13 minutes for medium. Set aside.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes and cook until fork-tender, 8 to 15 minutes, depending on their size. Using a spider or a slotted spoon, transfer the potatoes to a large bowl; keep the water boiling for the green beans. Add the olive oil to the potatoes, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat; set aside.
Fill a large bowl with ice and water. Add the green beans to the boiling water and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Using a spider or a slotted spoon, transfer the beans to the ice water to stop the cooking; keep the water boiling for the eggs. Drain the beans, transfer to a medium bowl and toss with the lemon juice and pinch of salt; set aside.
Add the eggs to the boiling water and cook for 6 minutes. Drain and transfer to a bowl of cold water. When cool enough to handle, peel the eggs and cut in half lengthwise.
TArrange the lettuce on a serving platter. Break the salmon into large chunks, then arrange on the platter along with the potatoes, green beans, eggs, olives, radishes and avocado. Season the eggs and avocado with sea salt and pepper. Serve the charred scallion pesto alongside. Serves 4.
Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen

Salmon Niçoise with Charred Scallion Pesto