Peruvian Nicoise Salad
/If you’re looking to add some excitement to your cooking routine, why not try making a Peruvian twist on a classic Nicoise Salad with Diamond Crystal Salt?
Perfect for home cooks of all skill levels, Diamond Crystal Salt Co. offers a variety of salts that can help bring out the flavors in any dish. For this recipe, I used three different types of Diamond Crystal Co. Salt: Kosher Salt Flakes, Coarse California Sea Salt, and Coarse Himalayan Pink Salt. Each type of salt has its unique benefits and can help take your Peruvian Nicoise Salad to the next level.
A close-up shot of the three types of Diamond Crystal Co. Salt used in the Peruvian Nicoise Salad: Kosher Salt Flakes, Coarse California Sea Salt, and Coarse Himalayan Pink Salt. The salts are displayed in their original containers, which offer distinct textures and colors. They bring a rich variety to the dish.
Using Kosher Salt Flakes in the huancayo-style sauce is a game-changer. The flakes offer more control over the amount of salt added, so you don't have to worry about oversalting your sauce. Plus, Diamond Crystal Co. Salt Flakes are available in three different sizes, so you can choose the perfect one for your needs
A creamy and delectable huancayo-style sauce, with its smooth texture and inviting golden hue, elegantly presented in a small dipping bowl. The sauce is garnished with a sprinkle of Kosher Salt Flakes, showcasing its importance in achieving the perfect balance of flavors.
Coarse California Sea Salt is the perfect finishing salt for this dish, adding a touch of crunch and flavor to the potatoes and green beans. It's also domestically sourced, so you can feel good about supporting local producers when you use it. And if you're worried about running out of Coarse California Sea Salt, Diamond Crystal Co. Salt offers it in a 2 lb refill box to ensure you never run out.
A top-down view of the tender, golden potatoes and bright, crisp green beans, seasoned to perfection with Coarse California Sea Salt. The salt crystals glisten atop the vegetables, hinting at the added crunch and burst of flavor they contribute to the Peruvian Nicoise Salad.
Coarse Himalayan Pink Salt is not only delicious, but is also sustainable. By purchasing refillable grinders and refill boxes, you can support sustainable practices while enjoying the unique flavor and beautiful color of Himalayan Pink Salt.
Using Diamond Crystal Co. salts in this Peruvian Nicoise Salad recipe is a fun and easy way to add a twist to a classic dish. So, what are you waiting for? Spice up your cooking routine and impress your family and friends with a delicious Peruvian Nicoise Salad made with Diamond Crystal Co Salt
For more on where you can purchase these products, visit Diamond Crystal Salt Co.’s Where To Buy tool and get ready to stock your pantry!
Peruvian Nicoise Salad
Adapted from The Fire of Peru: Recipes and Stories from My Peruvian Kitchen
Serves: 4
Time: 45 Minutes
Ingredients
Potatoes and Green Beans
1 ¼ lb mixed fingerling potatoes
1 tsp Diamond Crystal Salt Co.coarse California sea salt
3 slices bacon, chopped into ½-inch pieces
½ lb green beans, trimmed
Salad
About 3 tbsp olive oil
5 cups mixed baby greens, loosely packed
Diamond Crystal Salt Co. coarse sea salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
4 hard-boiled eggs, halved lengthwise
½ cup Botija (brine-cured Peruvian black olives) or cured Mediterranean olives, drained
Generous pinch of shichimi togarashi or cayenne pepper
Huancayo-Style Sauce
10 soda crackers, such as saltines
⅓ cup whole milk 1⁄4 cup olive oil, or more if needed
½ medium red onion, roughly chopped
3 to 4 tbsp homemade ají amarillo paste
¾ cup feta cheese or queso fresco, cut into small chunks
½ tsp Diamond Crystal Salt Co. Kosher Salt Flakes
Directions
For the potatoes and green beans: Add potatoes and Diamond Crystal Salt Co. coarse California sea salt to a medium-sized pot. Cover them with an inch of water and bring to a low boil over high heat. Cook the potatoes for 20-25 minutes or until they are tender when pierced with a knife. Drain the potatoes and let them cool in the strainer before halving them lengthwise. Set them aside.
In a medium-sized skillet, fry the bacon until it is crisp and drain on paper towels.
For the green beans, prepare a large bowl of ice water. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Blanch the green beans until they are tender-crisp, about 1 minute. Drain the green beans and immediately transfer them to the ice water to cool. Once cooled, drain the green beans and transfer them to a paper towel-lined bowl to dry.
To make the salad: Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, about 2 minutes. Pour about 2 tbsp olive oil into the pan and heat for an additional minute. Then, add the green beans and sauté, tossing occasionally until they are charred in spots, about 30 seconds. Transfer the beans to a bowl. Next, add 1 tbsp olive oil to the skillet and sear the potatoes, cut-side down, for about 1 minute or until golden brown. Set aside.
To make the Huancayo-style sauce: Crumble the crackers into a small bowl and pour milk on top. Mix the crackers and milk together and set aside. Heat a large skillet over high heat for about 2 minutes. Add the olive oil and heat for another minute. Stir in the onions and ají amarillo paste and sauté the onions until they begin to soften and are nicely browned along the edges, about 5 minutes.
Transfer the onion mixture to a blender and puree it on high speed until it has the consistency of a chunky salsa. Partially open the top of the blender and, with the blender running, slowly pour in the cracker-milk mixture. Then, add the feta and Diamond Crystal Salt Co. kosher salt flakes. Keep the blender going until the sauce is very creamy, about 30 seconds. Taste the sauce and add more salt flakes if needed. The dressing should be thick. Season with additional salt flakes if desired.
To finish the salad, arrange the salad greens on a large serving plate or individual plates. Finish the greens by lightly sprinkled with Diamond Crystal Salt Co. coarse Himalayan pink salt and drizzle lightly with extra-virgin olive oil. Arrange the potatoes, green beans, eggs, and olives alongside the greens. Pour a generous ½ cup of the Huancayo-style sauce on the potatoes and scatter the bacon over the salads. Finally, sprinkle all ingredients with a pinch of shichimi togarashi and serve the remaining Huancayo-style sauce on the side.
If you loved this recipe, you will also enjoy my recipes for Peruvian-Style Steak with Aji Amarillo Mashed Potatoes, Sopes with Potato-Chorizo Hash and Real California Queso Fresco, and Grilled Skirt Steak Salad!
