Balmy summer evenings extending into March called for some fare that was light but tasty. Julia's rendition of Salade Nicoise - a Mediterranean Combination Salad from Nice - seemed ideal being both "nourishing and beautiful".
In the 20 odd minutes that Julia has to instruct us on how to create the most famous of the composed salads, viewers are treated with video clips of Julia browsing the Nice market places. Hands are dipped into buckets of capers, olives, and whole salted anchovy's. Back in the kitchen Julia assembles the key ingredients for the salade - lettuce, blanched beans, tomatoes, potatoes, tuna, hard boiled eggs, anchovy, green herbs and of course the French dressing.
The lettuce is the first to arrange on the platter, with Julia taking the opportunity to show case some of latest lettuce drying devices. This is absolutely hilarious with the last item trumping the rest. This lettuce drier is unique in that you create the centrifugal force by pulling on a rope like you were starting a lawnmower. And according to Julia this Swiss design was created by "little old ladies in white tennis shoes" (go figure that statement!) Once you have your lettuce in place it is just the matter of arranging it all on the platter.
Tonight we had a shared dinner with our neighbours who supplied some delicious home made sausages. This worked beautifully with the Salade Nicoise. Of course we took the opportunity together to watch Julia's show "Stuffing a sausage" as our evening entertainment.... and review the episode Salade Nicose where my presenting salad was found to be as composed as Julia's! And as it was yet another beautiful balmy evening we set up our theatre outside and watched Julia underneath the stars.
fantastic meal.
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