What would Nice be without its salad? The recipe has been passed down from generation to generation. It has made the city on the French Riviera famous across all continents. On Wednesday, the award for the best Niçoise Salad was given to the Bézet couple during the eighth edition of the Mangiada organized by CEDAC in the Castel des deux rois Park.
More than just the salad, it’s the Niçoise tradition that was honored with a tribute to Garibaldi, participation by the Ciamada Nissarda and Piedmontese folklore. Both young and old discovered and rediscovered the Niçoise Salad, its ingredients, and all its accompanying mysteries. Each participant has their little nearly “inexpressible” secret for making it. Some competitors rub the salad bowl with garlic, others use only a certain type of olive oil, and then there is the reflection on choosing the ideal amount of seasonings, deciding whether to include tuna, anchovies, or both. Unanimously, they prefer to buy their ingredients from places other than supermarkets and only use seasonal products. Presentation also matters a lot to the jury of experts from La Capelina d’Or. May represents the ideal time to bring out the optimal flavors of the salad.
Recipe according to Jacques Médecin
For 6 people
Ingredients:
– 10 medium tomatoes
– 1 large cucumber
– 200g of small local beans or/and 12 fresh small artichokes cut into rounds
– 2 green bell peppers
– 6 fresh small onions
– 6 basil leaves
– 1 garlic clove
– 3 hard-boiled eggs
– 12 anchovy fillets or a 300g can of tuna
– 100g of black olives
– Olive oil, salt, pepper.
Preparation:
1. Cut the tomatoes into wedges and lightly salt them initially on the cutting board. Also, cut the eggs into quarters or slices, and slice the anchovy fillets into three or four pieces each or, if using tuna, shred it.
2. Rub the bottom and sides of a large salad bowl with the garlic clove cut in half. Add all the ingredients except the tomatoes. Drain the tomatoes, lightly salt them again before incorporating them.
3. Make a dressing with six tablespoons of olive oil, finely chopped basil, pepper, and salt. Chill well before serving.
4. Mix the salad in front of the guests and ensure that all the ingredients are well distributed in each plate.
[Video and image placeholders reference additional multimedia content related to the topic.]
