Nicoise salad originated in the French city of Nice. I have substituted a chickpea salad for the tuna but have otherwise stuck to the traditional ingredients that include potatoes, tomatoes, steamed green beans and olives. This is a perfect summer salad drizzled with plenty of balsamic olive oil vinaigrette. Left over Chickpea salad is delicious as a spread on toast or crackers!
Chickpea of the Sea Salad:
- 1 19 oz. can of organic chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1/3 cup of chopped dill pickles
- 1 tsp. of dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup of vegan mayonnaise or cashew mayonnaise (see recipe below)
- 1 tsp. celery salt
- 1 tsp. powdered kelp
- 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- a pinch of red chili flakes
Process the chickpeas in a food processor until chopped but not mushy. Pulse to crush the chick peas but still keep some texture.
By hand, stir in the chopped celery, dill pickles, dijon, mayonnaise, celery salt, kelp, apple cider vinegar, and chili flakes. Stir well to combine. Adjust the flavours by adding more vinegar or celery salt if desired. Set aside.
Cashew Mayo:
- 3/4 cup of raw cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours
- 1/4 cup of avocado oil
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- 2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp. himalayan pink salt
- 1 tsp. dijon mustard
Drain the soaked cashews. Blend well with the rest of the ingredients until silky smooth.Store in a sealed container in the fridge.
Balsamic Olive Oil Vinaigrette:
- 2 Tbsp. raw honey
- 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 tsp. pink himalayan salt
- several cracks of fresh pepper
- 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil
Whisk everything together in a small bowl. Set aside.
The Salad:
- 1/2 cup of kalamata or green olives (your choice) halved
- lots of cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 lb. of fresh green beans, steamed until tender
- 1 lb. of baby potatoes, halved and roasted in a 400 degree oven for 30 min. or until browned and tender.
- lots of butter lettuce
Arrange the butter lettuce on plates. Put a big dollop of the Chick Pea Salad mixture in the centre of each plate. Artfully arrange the roasted potatoes, steamed green beans, halved tomatoes and olives around the chick pea mixture. Drizzle with a generous amount of the balsamic dressing and lots of fresh cracked pepper to serve!