Farmers Market Salad

You can keep a package of smoked sturgeon (or salmon) in your fridge for at least three weeks and put together this variation of the classic salad Nicoise quickly for lunch or supper.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. new potatoesmarket_salad-200x150
  • 1 lb. baby green beans
  • 1 lb. baby beets
  • 1/2 box cherry tomatoes
  • 1 head lettuce
  • 1/3 lb. smoked sturgeon
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 bunch basil
  • 1/2 cup yogurt (optional)
  • salt and fresh ground black pepper

Directions

Place the potatoes in a large saucepan, cover generously with cold water, add 1 tsp. salt, place over a medium high flame and bring to a boil. Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. Immediately, drain them in a colander, and shake the hot potatoes to evaporate any excess liquid.

Bring another saucepan, filled with water, to a boil. Trim both ends of the green beans. Add salt to the water and toss in the green beans. When the beans are tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the water, place in a sieve, and run cold water over them to cool.

Trim the beets, leaving 1 inch on the stem. Drop them into the boiling water, with vinegar. Cook as with the green beans, when tender, drain and let cool. When cool enough to handle, remove the skin and slice into rounds or half rounds.

Arrange the potatoes, green beans, beets, smoked sturgeon on individual salad plates. Place the basil in a food processor, with the blender on, add the olive oil in thin steady stream, this can be served immediately over the fish and vegetables. Or you can mix it in a bowl into the yogurt. Garnish with a few lettuce leaves and the cherry tomatoes. Serves 4.