Augustine Kitchen's Nicoise Salade

Nicoise salad is a classic southern French dish. The original version has certain rules to it, such as ALL of the ingredients being raw. Yes, even the green beans! 

Franck Raymond of Battersea restaurant Augustine's Kitchen has created his own version, which retains the best elements of the Nicoise tradition (from Nice on the south coast of France), but with a modern and accessible twist. 

Augustine Kitchen is Franck's big move into the London restaurant scene. It celebrates his roots in the south of France on the border with Switzerland in the town of Evian, famed for the mineral water of the same name. The food is honest, prepared with love and care and have a different feel from the Parisian bistro food we are more familiar with in the Uk.

One of my favourite features of the restaurant is the strong sense of family recipes and heritage present. The pictures of family members and their influence on the recipes and menu selections make this restaurant like taking a little step into French territory.

I hope you will give this quintessential salad a go at home. It is easy and quick to make.

Augustine Kitchen's Nicoise Salade

Serves 4

Franck's Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

A pinch of salt
50g Dijon mustard
50ml red wine vinegar
100ml vegetable oil

Method:

In a large bowl make the vinaigrette by whisking together the vinegar and the mustard.

Slowly whisk in the oil in a thin stream to emulsify the mixture.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

If you don't use it all in one go, you can put the remaining vinaigrette in a glass container or jar and keep in the fridge for up to a week. 

Franck's Nicoise salade

Ingredients:

100g of French beans, topped
4 quail eggs (boiled and quartered)
12 black olives, pitted
1 can of tuna, fully drained
100g of mixed chopped peppers
4 cherry tomatoes, which you can halve or quarter
8 salted anchovies
a small Cos lettuce


Method: 

Drain the anchovies of oil and pat them dry. 

Bring 4 cups water to a boil in the bottom of a steamer. Add half the beans, cover, and steam until they are tender firm, about 6 minutes. 

Remove from the steamer and let cool on a wire rack covered with a cotton tea towel. Repeat with the remaining beans. 

Transfer one-third of the dressing to a medium sized bowl. 

Toss the beans and the peppers with enough vinaigrette to fully moisten them. Top them with the anchovy fillets. 

Quarter the eggs, and place them, with the tomatoes. 

Break the tuna apart into large pieces. Sprinkle with the olives. 

Drizzle with any remaining vinaigrette. Serve immediately.