Chef notes
We’re taking the simple Nicoise salad to new heights with our crowd-ready take on the recipe. This version shares many of the familiar flavors of the French version while introducing a few new ingredients into the mix. Traditionally, a Nicoise salad is seafood-based, but we’re replacing the usual canned tuna with two kinds of protein — garlic and lime-seared skirt steak and plump, juicy shrimp. Make this platter for summer party guests so that there’s a little something for everyone.
This recipe is particularly ideal for entertaining because a lot of the salad’s components can be prepared ahead of time and assembled just before serving. The skirt steak is marinated with lime juice and fresh garlic and can bathe in those flavors for anywhere from 30 minutes to one day. The shrimp are coated with some olive oil and garlic and arranged onto skewers. Since skirt steak is thin and shrimp are small, they each cook in just a few minutes.
In this recipe, we include many of the classic Nicoise ingredients such as boiled potatoes, blanched green beans, hard-boiled eggs, olives and capers. Thinly sliced rounds of summer squash, radishes and little gem lettuce leaves are all seasonal additions that work well in this salad. We drizzle everything with a lemony mustard and chive vinaigrette and crumble some soft goat or feta cheese over the top before serving.
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Ingredients
- 2½ pounds skirt steak or flank steak
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil
- 3 large limes, zested and juiced (about 1/3 cup)
- 3 large cloves garlic, grated
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 pounds extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 1 large garlic clove, grated
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 large lemon, zested and juice
- 1/4 cup champagne or white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 small shallot, finely minced
- 1 small bunch chives, finely minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1/3 cup olive oil, divided, plus more for serving
- 1½ pounds small potatoes, halved
- 10 ounces green beans, trimmed
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1½ cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 lime, juiced
- 6 cups little gem or bibb lettuce
- 2 small summer squash or zucchini, thinly sliced into rounds
- 5 radishes, thinly sliced
- 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced
- 5 hard-boiled eggs, halved
- 2 ripe hass avocados, peeled, pits removed and sliced
- 1/3 cup pitted green olives, such as Castelvetrano
- 1/3 cup pitted black olives, such as kalamata
- 1/4 cup caper berries
- 1 small tin anchovies (optional)
- 4 ounces goat cheese or feta cheese, crumbled
- flaky sea salt, for serving
- freshly ground black pepper, for serving
Preparation
Make the steak
Cut the skirt steak into 6-inch pieces and place in a large bowl or zipped gallon bag. Add the olive oil, lime juice, grated garlic, salt and pepper and toss to combine. Marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.
Cook on a skillet or grill for 3 minutes per side, or to desired doneness. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes before slicing into thin slices against the grain. Set aside.
Make the shrimp
In a large mixing bowl, toss shrimp with oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Thread onto skewers and grill, or sauté in a skillet over medium high heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Set aside.
Prepare the vinaigrette
In a medium bowl, whisk together lemon juice and zest, champagne vinegar, and mustard until combined. Whisk in the shallot, chives, and minced garlic. Season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Slowly add the oil and whisk constantly until emulsified. Set aside.
Cook the potatoes
Preheat the oven to 425 F. Place halved potatoes on a large sheet pan and drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season with kosher salt and black pepper. Roast for 20 minutes, tossing the potatoes halfway through, or until potatoes are crispy on the outside and tender inside.
Cook the green beans
While the potatoes are cooking, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy-bottom skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped garlic and allow to sizzle for a few seconds before adding the trimmed green beans. Season generously with salt and a crack of black pepper. Cook about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until the green beans are tender and slightly charred.
Prep the tomatoes
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the tomatoes, olive oil, salt and black pepper until coated. Set aside.
Prep the red onions
Combine the sliced red onion and lime juice in a bowl with a sprinkle of salt. Toss to coast and set aside.
Assemble and serve the salad
Arrange the lettuce over 2/3 of your largest serving platter. Add the cooked steak, shrimp, potatoes and green beans partially over the greens, keeping each ingredient together in its own section with just a small bit of overlap between items. Top with summer squash, tomatoes, lime-pickled onions, radishes, cucumber, eggs, avocado, olives, caper berries, anchovies (if using) and crumbled goat cheese. Drizzle a few teaspoons of the dressing over the greens and vegetables, serving the rest in a small bowl on the side. Season with flaky sea salt and a few cracks of black pepper. Serve immediately.
