Seared Salmon Niçoise Salad

Recipe courtesy of Clarence Court

This salad is a lovely twist on the classic tuna Niçoise and makes the perfect summer lunch. You could also substitute flaked salmon for smoked mackerel fillets. Soft and creamy Clarence Court Bantam eggs marry perfectly with the crisp, fresh vegetables, rich fish and dressing.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 Clarence Court Bantam eggs

200g baby new potatoes

100g fine green beans, trimmed and halved

100g asparagus tips

12 cherry tomatoes

4 tinned anchovy fillets

2 baby gem lettuce (or a mix of leaves like rocket and watercress)

12 red olives, destoned

4 skin-on salmon fillets (about 150g each)

1 lemon

Salt and ground black pepper

A small punnet of mixed salad cress (optional)

Salad dressing:

1 garlic clove, peeled

1 teaspoon mustard powder

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp caper berries

2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped

A small bunch of fresh herbs such as dill, parsley or chives, chopped

Method:

Start by making the salad dressing. Place the garlic into a pestle and mortar with a pinch of salt, and bash until smooth. Stir in the mustard powder, vinegar and oil. Roughly chop the caper berries and stir into the pestle and mortar, along with the chopped shallots. Season to taste and then stir in the herbs and place to one side.

Place a medium pan of water on to the boiling plate to boil and add a pinch of salt. Cut the potatoes in half and drop them into the pan with the eggs. Soft boil the eggs (3-4 minutes), then carefully remove them from the pan with a slotted spoon and pop them into a bowl of cold water (with ice if you have it) to cool quickly.

Add the asparagus and green beans to the pan of potatoes. Bring back to the boil and continue cooking the potatoes and greens for a further 5 minutes or until the potatoes are just cooked through. Drain the vegetables and tip into a large salad bowl with a drizzle of olive oil.

Slice the tomatoes in half and add to the salad bowl, along with the anchovy fillets. Click off the baby gem lettuce leaves and add these and the olives to the bowl.

2, 3, 4 and 5 oven AGA:   Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper.  Place the salmon fillets skin side down onto a piece of Bake-O-Glide on an AGA baking tray.  Roast for about 8-9 minutes on the second runners down in the roasting oven.

Meanwhile, peel the cooled eggs and cut in half.

Remove the salmon from the oven and transfer the fillets to a plate. Drizzle most of the dressing over the salad and toss well. Flake in the salmon as big chunks, and then add on the halved eggs, sunny side up. Season the salad and then grate on a little lemon zest, before scattering over little clumps of mixed cress. Serve with fresh crusty bread and lemon wedges.

Conventional cooking:   Cook the vegetables on the hob.  For the salmon; place a large frying pan on a medium/high heat. Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil. Place the salmon fillets skin side down in the hot pan and cook for 2-3 mins until the skin is crisp and then turn the fillets over for a further 3 minutes of cooking.