How to Make Smoked Salmon Niçoise Salad

Petite dynamo Rachelle Boucher wears a big smile and keeps an encyclopedic knowledge of food under her chef's toque.  For the past eight years, she has been the culinary marketing manager for Standards of Excellence, a multi-location (five in Northern California and Reno) high end kitchen appliance and decorative plumbing showroom which caters both to residential clients and to the trade.  

In store demonstrations show off the advantages of, say, a convection oven or induction cooking method, and mouthwatering aromas waft through the space.  Tastings are offered to customers, and Boucher also hosts cooking events.

In high school she was exchange student in Sweden, where she "learned about the wealth of food beyond what a small town in Pennsylvania could provide,” she said. 

Because a high school counselor talked her out of culinary school, she studied at University of the Arts in Philadelphia.  Feeling that she had to find her own way in the cooking world, she turned around what she still feels was “bad advice,” and now mentors disadvantaged youth, particularly those interested in cooking. 

After getting a start in Philadelphia’s restaurant industry, she decided to join her brother who had moved to Northern California. Almost immediately, Boucher struck culinary gold, landing a job with Bradley Ogden at The Lark Creek Inn.  “Because I had always worked front of the house,” she said, “I applied as a server, but they cross-trained the staff so the waiters and managers would have respect and understanding for what happens in the kitchen.”   

She moved on to Home Chef, the retail store and cooking school which was in Corte Madera’s Town Center, as floor assistant, then kitchen manager, and finally as a teacher.   

Honored to have worked as private chef for George Lucas, after four years Boucher left to form her own company, Savor the Moment, which specializes in private chef work, catering and the hosting of culinary events. 

Boucher is involved with the job training program, Fresh Starts Culinary Academy, at Homeward Bound (with offices in San Rafael, kitchen and community room in Novato.)  Each month, Boucher “wrangles” celebrity chefs to give reasonably priced lessons at Fresh Starts Cooking School, open to the public with proceeds going to Homeward Bound. “I had watched Mr. Lucas, who gives back in a very quiet way, and his family inspired me to work with the homeless.”     

In mentor mode, she also built the kitchen at  in San Rafael. 

For the Standards of Excellence marketing position, she reaches out via social media. Her blog Drawn to the Kitchen has videos with recipes in which she shows how appliances enhance technique. 

Every summer, she gives back to the community by cooking up Operation C.H.E.F., a one week nutrition based cooking day camp for kids and teens.  

With fingers in so many culinary pies, you would think the San Rafael resident  would order take out. But, no, she insists, “I cook at home all the time.” Married to a professional jazz musician who also manages in San Rafael, Boucher shares her residence with great music, two rescue Persians and two bunnies, who help compost cooking scraps.  

Stop by the San Rafael Standards of Excellence showroom on West Francisco Boulevard and meet Boucher in person. If you’re lucky, she’ll be cooking something up.     

For our recipe of the week, Boucher prepares a Niçoise-Style Salad with Smoked Salmon and seasonal ingredients from the farmers market.  Note that she uses Anna Svidese's "Sm-oasted" Salmon from the San Rafael farmer's market, but you can use any smoked salmon or even tuna if you prefer.

Salad 

1 lb. spring mix, butter lettuce leaves or a combination of both, washed, dried and picked through

½ lb. small green beans or thin asparagus, stem ends trimmed

1 lb. small fingerling potatoes or other small new potatoes, washed

8 eggs, warmed in a bowl of hot tap water to cover

7 oz. dry cured black olives, or Niçoise style olives

1 pint round red cherry tomatoes cut in half if needed

1 pound smoked salmon, or large flaked white albacore tuna 

Vinaigrette 

1 tablespoon minced shallot (approximately ½ of a medium shallot)

1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard

¼ cup good quality champagne or white balsamic vinegar

¾ cup good quality lemon or mild olive oil

2 tablespoons capers

3 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley

1 teaspoon finely minced fresh thyme or lemon thyme

Freshly ground pepper to taste

One pot cooking method:

In a large, deep pot bring two quarts of water and one tablespoon of kosher salt to a boil.  Meanwhile prepare an ice bath: in a large bowl, add about three cups of water to about four cups of ice. Set aside. Drop green beans or asparagus into boiling water, stir and cook two to three minutes or until al dente. Quickly scoop vegetables from water with a small strainer spoon and spread out evenly on clean paper towels to cool. Next in the same boiling water, keeping the smaller potatoes whole, cut only the larger ones so the potatoes are nearly equal in size. Place potatoes into boiling water, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 10 to 12 minutes until they can be pierced with a paring knife. Remove potatoes with a strainer spoon when they are done. Cool and cut into bite sized pieces. 

1. Remove eggs from warm tap water and gently lower into the same pot of simmering water.  Return to a full boil, then turn off heat and cover the pot with a tight fitting lid. Leave eggs in hot water for 15 minutes. When eggs are done, chill in ice bath for 5 minutes, peel and cut in half lengthwise with a wet pairing knife.
2. In a medium bowl blend shallot, mustard and vinegar. Slowly drizzle oil into mixture and whisk until emulsified. Add capers, parsley, thyme and pepper. Taste and adjust. Set aside.
3. In a very large bowl, toss greens with just enough of the vinaigrette to evenly coat the leaves. Arrange the beans or asparagus and potatoes in groups on a large platter or on individual chilled plates. Mound greens in the center of plates or platter. Lightly toss the tomatoes with a small amount of vinaigrette. Arrange tomatoes and olives in groups around the greens on the plates. Add 2 egg halves to each plate. Season eggs and potatoes with salt and pepper. Finish the salad with large chunks of smoked salmon. Drizzle a little dressing over the salmon, beans and potatoes. Top with chives and/or basil chiffonade.

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