Ingredients
- 4 or 5 medium-sized yellow or green zucchinis
- 5 or 6 large tomatoes of a meaty variety like beefsteak
- 3 or 4 fillets of turbot, sole or other white fish
- 1 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp whole milk
- 3 tbsp sherry vinegar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- A little fine lemon zest (with a microplane)
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 good clove of garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp chopped marjoram
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 6 to 8 anchovy fillets
Preparation
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Patrice and Nico assemble the Niçoise salad.
- 1. Slice the zucchini lengthwise and dehydrate for four hours in a dehydrator or in the oven at about 160℉ (66 oC) to give them a meaty texture. Then, dry roast them at 425℉ (220 oC) 6 to 7 minutes, until golden brown. Watch carefully so they don’t burn.
- 2. To make the corn cream, heat the kernels in a small saucepan with the butter and milk. Once they are cooked (5 to 6 minutes), puree them in a food processor or blender, then sieve to obtain a very smooth cream. Nico sieved twice.
- 3. The fish is poached in court-bouillon (water, white wine, salt and pepper, optional bouquet garni) for 2 to 3 minutes.
- 4. Prepare a vinaigrette with the vinegar, lemon juice and zest, oil, garlic, marjoram, salt and pepper. Adjust the acidity and salt to taste. This preparation will be used to season each layer of the niçoise, so don’t hesitate to add plenty of salt.
- 5. Make tomato slices about 0.5 cm thick.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Make sure you have a sharp knife when serving to cut nice points.
- 6. Assemble the niçoise in a 12-inch round cake pan, starting with half the zucchini, followed by half the tomatoes, fish, zucchini again, corn cream and a final layer of tomatoes. Brush each layer with vinaigrette (except the corn), press well to hold it together and finish with the anchovies. You can also add a few marjoram leaves.
- 7. Make sure you have a sharp knife when serving to cut nice points.
What to drink with tomato?
-
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Ségué Lepage, who was once the chef-owner of the late Comptoir vins et charcuteries in Montreal, sold his other business, Comptoir Sainte-Cécile, to set up in Saint-Jean-Port-Joli and make cider with local apples.
-
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
The winemaker François Morissette had brought some wines from slightly older vintages.
-
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
A white Raku
-
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
François Morissette has been making wine in Niagara since 2007.
1/4
With local cider producer Ségué Lepage, Niagara-based Quebec winemaker François Morissette, and wines from neighboring vineyard Le Raku at the table, it was of course a question of pairings. The Niçoise could pair just as well with a Raku chardonnay as with a juicy Domaine du Nival pinot noir. To accompany the braised lamb in tomato sauce, there was the fresh option from Cidres Appalaches, with the Marcs de raisin cuvée, a co-fermentation of wild apples and marcs from the Gamaret, Réjean, and Saint-Laurent grape varieties from Ferme Raku, as well as the Pearl Morissette cabernet franc option, as a perfect accompaniment. Ségué Lepage’s Cassis cider worked wonderfully with the tomato desserts.