Miss Perfect's Hot Nicoise Salad



Don't you hate perfect people?

I consider Gwyneth Paltrow one of those "perfect people". Please tell me there is something wrong with her.

She is pretty; comes from a big Hollywood family & can act; speaks fluent Spanish; married a rock star; has perfect kids; eats organic; is a COUNTRY WESTERN SINGER!; and now has a freakin' cookbook!

Is there anything this girl can't do?
Lots of press on her new cookbook, though I haven't seen it yet. Waiting for the publisher to send me a copy.

Her recipe for a "Hot Nicoise Salad" in the April issue of Food & Wine, caught my eye. I love fresh tuna in the summer, and why not cook it along side that cute little ramekin of a baked egg. Love it.

I made this in a 12" cast iron skillet and the hubs and I shared it. We loved it.
I cooked it on the grill instead of in the oven and it was just beautiful.

Thank you Miss Perfect.

Gwynnie's Hot Nicoise Salad: (adapted from Food & Wine)

Serves 2-4

2 freshest tuna steaks
kosher salt & pepper
olive oil
handful of cherry tomatoes (I used red & yellow)
1 lb. green beans, trimmed and blanched for 1 minute
4 anchovies packed in oil, drained and chopped
handful of kalamata olives
1 red pepper, roasted and cut into thin slices
handful of fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 eggs



Place your blanched beans in a large ovenproof 12" skillet (I used cast iron).

Squeeze the cherry tomatoes with your hands over the beans. Add the olives, anchovies, basil and roasted red pepper strips to the beans and toss w/ olive oil. Season w/ kosher salt & pepper.

Season the tuna steaks w/ kosher salt & pepper and place over the vegetables in the cast iron skillet. Drizzle with some more olive oil.

Spray 2 ramekins w/ PAM and crack one egg into each ramekin. Season w/ salt & pepper.
Nestle the ramekins in the skillet w/ the vegetables. If they won't fit, then cook them separately in the oven/grill.



Place the entire skillet in a 400F oven or grill w/ the lid closed for 12-15 minutes, until the tuna is medium rare and the egg is almost cooked thru, but the yolk is still a bit runny.



Serve immediately.

This was perfectly DELICIOUS. Loved.

Comments

Kathy Walker said…
Mmmmm...this looks perfect. I love the idea of grilling the veggies along with the tuna steak.
The JR said…
She may be "perfect", but you are the salad QUEEN!

Very pretty, healthy and certainly looks delicious.
Oui, Chef said…
Don't even get me started about her. Did you see her on the cover of Bon Appetit? Absolutely stunning in a slinky blue dress, so riveting that I didn't even see what she was cooking. This dish does sound fabulous though, I'll try not to hate her too much ;-).
Unknown said…
Thanks Stacey, this looks wonderful and so summery. I too have been enjoying her cookbook, it has been a great inspiration for me.......and so are you!!
Joanne said…
Don't forget that she's been featured in TWO food magazines. Sigh. Maybe if I make this salad I'll glean some hints as to how she does it. At the least, I'll get a good meal!
kat said…
It is a beautiful salad but I totally get the whole she's too perfect thing...
Anonymous said…
Well, all I have to say is....if it has two of my most favorite foods added....anchovies & basil....how could it ever be bad?!? Thanks for sharing Stacie! Wanda D.
She also hangs out with Mario B and got to drive all over Spain eating amazing food! I have to say though that is a beautiful hot salad, I love all the colors and ingredients. ( minus the anchovies;)
Dana said…
We sat next to her in a restaurant when we lived in London. She was about 7 months pregnant, gulping down pasta, and gorgeous. HATE HER.
Anonymous said…
Perfect? If you read about her in the English newspapers you will see that she is a nutcase. Have you seen her website? Please.

Carol in England
tasteofbeirut said…
Miss Perfect would have unleashed the ire (and fury) of Jacques Médecin, the late mayor of Nice and a cookbook author himself on Niçoise cuisine who said NEVER EVER to mix fish and anchovies; that a true authentic salade niçoise was for the poor, and the poor could not afford both tuna steaks and anchovies~ Voilà, if it makes you feel better :)
Miss Perfect is multitalented but from what I have seen of the recipes in that cookbook she is not really inventing anything new, just giving it her stamp.
yumyuminthetum said…
I am making this tonight. Looks so good.