Goat Cheese Nicoise Salad

Summer is officially 104 days until summer! It’s no longer prudent to wait if you have a few pounds to shed before shorts and bikini weather. As part of my daily exercise and healthy eating, salads have become a delicious part of my day.

I discovered this one from my Sunset magazine subscription. Watch for more salad variations to come soon!

Goat Cheese Nicoise Salad

1/2 lb. baby potatoes
2 large eggs
1/2 pound green beans, ends trimmed
2 cups romaine, watercress or your favorite greens
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives
1 jar (7.1 oz.) Chevoo* goat cheese in olive oil (preferably smoked sea salt-rosemary flavor; use chilled)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

1. Cut potatoes in half and put in a large saucepan with eggs. Add water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender when pierced, about 12 minutes; transfer from pan with a slotted spoon and let cool. Transfer eggs to a bowl of ice water.

2. Meanwhile, set a steamer basket in a second large saucepan with an inch of water. Add green beans, cover, and bring water to a boil; reduce heat to medium and steam beans until tender-crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer beans to bowl of ice water.

3. Cut potatoes into chunks, then shell and quarter eggs.

4. Line a platter with watercress. Arrange rows of potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, olives, and eggs on top. Spoon cheese chunks from oil and arrange in another row. Stir lemon juice, salt, and pepper into oil left in cheese jar and spoon as much as you like over salad.

Note: *Find Chevoo at well-stocked grocery stores such as Whole Foods. I’m not lucky enough to have a Whole Foods so I substitute 5 oz. fresh goat cheese, cut into chunks, and 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil. Season oil with 1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary. In a bowl, gently coat cheese in 1 tbsp. of the oil before arranging on salad. Use the rest of the oil to make dressing in step 4.