Salad Niçoise with Navy Beans

There's nothing we love more for entertaining than a beautiful Salad Niçoise that screams seasonality. This plate is perfect for feeding a crowd, with new potatoes, green beans, and colourful radishes to celebrate summer. We love our Flourist Navy Beans here, as they are the perfect backdrop for this delicious Poppy Seed Dressing. 

Salad Niçoise with Navy Beans
2 pounds green beans or French green beans, trimmed 
2 pounds spring baby potatoes
1 cup Kalamata olives
2 bunches radishes (one bunch red and one bunch easter egg radishes is nice if you can find them)
1 tbsp ghee 
3 cups cooked Flourist Navy Beans 
4 large eggs
1/4 cup fresh dill 
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped 
1/3 cup capers
1 tbsp butter or olive oil for frying capers 
Poppy Seed Dressing, to taste 

Poppy Seed Dressing 
1/2 cup water 
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 shallot, minced 
3 tbsp honey 
2 tbsp Dijon mustard 
2 tsp salt 
1 tbsp poppy seeds 
1 1/2 cups olive oil 
*This recipe will make a fair amount; use the extra for green salads 

Dressing
First, prepare the dressing by combining all of the ingredients except for the poppy seeds and oil in a blender. Blend on high and add the poppy seeds. Then, gradually add the oil in a steady stream until it is all added. Stop blending once all the oil is added. Transfer the dressing to clean jar. 

Potatoes and Green Beans
Place the new potatoes whole into a large pot and cover with plenty of water. Bring the water to a rolling boil and cook the potatoes until fork tender, about 10-12 minutes (this will depend on the size of the potatoes). Once cooked, drain and set aside. Using the same pot, combine the green beans with a little cold water (about half the height of the beans in the pot) and bring the water to a boil. Blanch the green beans with the lid on for 5 minutes, until soft but careful not to overcook them. Drain the beans and immediately add the beans to a large bowl with cold water and ice to chill them. Leave for 5-10 minutes and then drain. 

Once the potatoes have reached a temperature cool enough to handle, cut them into halves. Add them to a mixing bowl and add 1 cup of the dressing to the potatoes. This will allow them to marinate while you prepare the remainder of the salad. Drain the green beans when ready to assemble the salad. 

Eggs
To boil, place the eggs in a pot filled with boiling water. For a bright, jammy yolk, boil the eggs for 7 minutes, and then drain and place in an ice bath (just like the beans) to cool. Once the eggs are cool, peel and slice into quarters or in rounds as desired. 

Radishes
Prepare the radishes by washing and either cutting into quarters or halves. Heat the ghee in a frying pan, and add the radishes and a pinch of salt. Fry the radishes in the ghee for 5-7 minutes, until they are browning. Remove and set aside.

Capers
To fry the capers, use the same pan you used to fry the radishes. Add the olive oil or butter to the pan and heat for a minute over medium heat. Add the capers and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring often. The capers are done when they are sizzling and crispy. Remove from the pan once cooked and set aside until ready to use. 

Assemble the salad as seen above on a large platter, layering the ingredients as you desire. Start with the green beans, potatoes, and Navy Beans and then add the radishes, olives, eggs, and scatter the fried capers, fresh dill, and parsley, and pour more dressing (about another 3/4-1 cup) over the entire salad just before serving. Serve immediately.