Recipe: Sauce Niçoise

Sauce Niçoise

For photo and more information, see Salmon with Olive Oil-Mashed Potatoes and Sauce Niçoise

8 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
6 Roma tomatoes, blanched, peeled, cored, seeded, and finely diced
Coarse salt to taste
12 fava beans, shucked, blanched, and peeled
4 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup pitted, roughly chopped niçoise olives
4 scallions, white parts only, cleaned, washed, and thinly sliced crosswise
1 bunch basil, leaves only, well washed, dried, and chopped
Balsamic vinegar to taste

Place the garlic in a small saucepan of boiling water and blanch for 30 seconds. Drain well. Again place the garlic in fresh boiling water and blanch for 30 seconds. Drain well and repeat the blanching once more using fresh boiling water. Rinse the garlic under cold running water and pat dry. Using a small, sharp knife, cut the garlic lengthwise into thin slices and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a medium sauté pan over low heat. Add the tomatoes and just enough salt (a little less than V4 teaspoon) to allow the tomatoes to begin releasing their juices, remembering that the sun-dried tomatoes and the olives will add saltiness.

When the tomatoes have released their liquid, stir in the sliced garlic along with the fava beans, sun-dried tomatoes, and olives. Cook for about 3 minutes, or until the flavors have blended some- what and the mixture is hot. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Before serving, stir in the scallions and basil and add just a splash of balsamic vinegar to brighten the taste.

Buy the Book!

from:
Cooking at De Gustibus
Celebrating 25 Years of Culinary Innovation
by Arlene Feltman Sailhac
Stewart, Tabori & Chang
Hardcover; 256 Pages
250 Photographs; 100 Recipes
$40.00 [$56.00 Canada]
ISBN: 1-58479-459-3
Recipe reprinted by permission.