Cook This: 3 recipes from Niçoise, including a summer vegetable sandwich with tuna

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Our cookbook of the week is Niçoise by Edmonton-born, Nice-based author and cooking teacher Rosa Jackson.

Jump to the recipes: pan bagnat (summer vegetable sandwich with tuna), pissaladière (caramelized onion tart with anchovies and olives) and tarte Tatin (upside-down apple tart with lemon and olive oil).

Rosa Jackson woke up on New Year’s Day and decided 1995 would be the year she moved to France. By the spring, she had left her hometown of Edmonton (and her job as a food writer at the Edmonton Journal) to pursue a culinary career in Paris. “I didn’t go with very much money, so that forced me to figure it out once I was there,” says the Nice-based author and cooking teacher, laughing. “But I thought I better do it while I still can because you never know when life can make it more difficult for you to make that kind of leap.”

After working as a translator for the Cordon Bleu’s cuisine and pastry courses, “practically memorizing them by the end,” Jackson launched Paris Market Tours — to her knowledge, the first to offer tours of the city’s food markets — wrote restaurant reviews and started teaching cooking classes. After relocating to Nice in 2004, the experience inspired her to open her own cooking school, Les Petits Farcis, and a broader food tour company, Edible Paris.

In her latest cookbook, Niçoise (her first in English), Jackson explores the cuisine of the southern French city she has called home for 20 years. Though the idea of a book devoted to Niçoise cuisine had been on her mind since she moved to Nice, it took a conversation with Paris-based chef and author David Lebovitz to convince her that the subject wasn’t too niche for an English-speaking audience. She had floated the idea of a cookbook with Nice as the central theme before, but this time, “everything fell into place.”

Jackson describes Niçoise cuisine as a bit of a secret, even in France. Living in Paris and writing about restaurants, she rarely saw Niçoise dishes on menus. Or if they were, it might have been a salade Niçoise made with a mishmash of unlikely ingredients, such as rice or mayonnaise. If she had asked the average Parisian what socca (chickpea pancake) was, they wouldn’t necessarily have had an answer. “It was really not known at all.”

With humble roots and a strong street food tradition, Niçoise cuisine is inflected with more Italian influences than anywhere else in the country. Jackson says that you could compare it to Marseille, where cooks use some of the same ingredients, such as chickpea flour, but the influence there comes mainly from Naples, “which is why they have very good pizza.” In Nice, it comes from Liguria and Piedmont. “It’s Italian meets French, but at the same time, it’s not quite French, and it’s not quite Italian.” Niçoise cuisine uses ingredients such as olive oil and a wide range of vegetables — “not necessarily just the ratatouille ones,” notably Swiss chard — and less fish than people assume.

Organizing the 100-plus recipes by season was essential. “People talk about seasonal cooking as something a bit modern, but in Nice, it’s just the way people have always cooked.” Chef Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen of the Michelin-starred Restaurant JAN in Nice shot the book’s photos throughout the seasons, capturing the natural light, and Jackson made some of the tableware herself. She took two years of pottery classes, “in which I didn’t produce anything very symmetrical. But it was OK because rustic is good in Nice.”

There’s a more casual attitude toward food in Nice than elsewhere in the country. Jackson highlights that the city’s street food tradition is unusual for France, where people tend to have set meals at certain times and don’t typically eat while standing. It’s common to see locals digging into dishes such as pan bagnat (“bathed bread”) while picnicking on the beach.

Cooking in Nice requires learning to take your time, says Jackson. It’s a slow process — one that’s more enjoyable when more people are involved. “In my class, we cook as if we were family, so we all pitch in. It’s not like each person prepares their own dish because the style of Niçoise cuisine doesn’t lend itself to that.” One day in class, they had made les petits farcis (little stuffed vegetables), which could get tedious if you were making them alone. With a group, it’s fun, and everybody learns something. “I like the fact that things take longer here, and it’s not all about doing things quickly,” she adds. “People in Nice are not usually in a rush.”

As much as Jackson has found a home in France, she still feels the influence of her Canadian upbringing. She tries to recreate the Vietnamese, Ukrainian, Indian and Chinese foods she loved to eat growing up in Edmonton and appreciates the simplicity of “anglo-style” desserts. Living in Paris for the first time, she was drawn to the elaborate cakes at patisseries. Today, she’d rather eat something simpler. This simplicity suits life in Nice, which has a “double identity”: the glamour of the French Riviera belying rustic back-country roots.

Writing Niçoise allowed Jackson to reflect on the foundations, as well as how the food of the city has evolved. While people remain “fairly conservative” about their local dishes, there’s room for playing around. Some of Jackson’s Niçoise friends have added other ingredients to socca, for example, giving her freedom to experiment. “I was able to draw on a lot of what I’ve gathered over 20 years, and also some changes that have happened in Nice because Nice isn’t the same city now as it was 20 years ago. It’s modernized, and it’s got even more beautiful and more international.”

Summer vegetable sandwich with tuna

Makes: 6 medium sandwiches or 4 large ones

For the rolls: A double recipe of Olive Oil Bread Dough (recipe follows), allowed to rise until doubled in size, or 4 or 6 store-bought crusty buns (6 buns measuring about 5 inches/12 cm across or 4 measuring about 6 inches/15 cm across) Flour for the work surface

For the filling: 3 large eggs, at room temperature (optional) 1 garlic clove, cut in half (optional) 6 tbsp (90 mL) extra-virgin olive oil Red wine vinegar for sprinkling Three 4.5-oz (120 g) cans tuna in olive oil, drained (or tuna in jars, weighing about 14 oz/360 g total) 2 beefsteak tomatoes (about 1 lb/450 g total), sliced 1/4 inch (0.5 cm) thick 6 to 8 radishes, thinly sliced 2 spring onions, white and pale green parts only, thinly sliced 1 celery stalk, thinly sliced (optional) 2 mild-tasting long green peppers, such as Anaheim, thinly sliced One 2-oz (50 g) can anchovies in oil 1/4 cup (45 g) pitted Niçoise olives 12 large basil leaves Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Turn the dough out on a lightly floured board, gently press out the air, and divide it into 4 or 6 pieces, depending on the size of sandwich that you would like. Shape each one into a ball and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Flatten the balls to about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick, using the palm of your hand. Set aside to rise for about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400F (200C).

Make three shallow slashes around the sides of each bun, using a sharp or serrated knife, and bake for about 20 minutes until golden brown. Transfer the buns to a rack to cool completely.

Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the eggs to the boiling water and cook for 8 minutes if you like the yolks slightly creamy, or 10 minutes for hard-boiled eggs. Transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water to cool, then drain, peel and cut each one into 6 wedges.

Split the rolls in half and remove some of the crumb from the top halves, if you like. Gently rub the bottom halves with the cut garlic clove, if using. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with red wine vinegar to taste.

Place 2 slices of tomato on the bottom half of each bun. Flake the tuna onto them and top with the sliced vegetables. Finish with the eggs, if using, anchovies, olives and basil and season with salt and pepper. Press the top half of each bun down so that the bread absorbs some of the juices. Let stand for at least 10 minutes, and up to 2 hours, before serving.

Olive oil bread dough

Makes: enough for one 12-inch-round (30 cm) flatbread or 4 to 6 buns

1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast or 1 tbsp fresh (brewer’s) yeast 1/3 cup (80 mL) warm (not hot) water, plus more if needed 1 tsp sugar 1 2/3 cups (200 g) all-purpose, bread or Italian 00 flour, plus more if needed 1 tsp fine sea salt 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for kneading the dough 1 large egg, at room temperature

In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the water with the sugar; set aside for a few minutes, until the mixture starts to bubble.

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt. Make a well in the centre and add the olive oil, egg and yeast-water mixture. Using a pastry scraper or a fork, break up the egg, then combine all the ingredients until you have a dough that is soft and slightly sticky but not wet, adding a little more flour or water as necessary (be careful to add just a little of either of these at a time).

Rub a little olive oil onto your hands and your work surface, turn out the dough and knead for 3 to 4 minutes, until velvety. I like to use a kneading technique I learned at the Cordon Bleu: Hold the dough by one side, lift it high off the board and slam the other end down on the work surface, without letting go; this will stretch the dough. Then fold it from the bottom up (folding the dough in your hand over the dough on the board), press it down very lightly, and grab the dough from the right side if you are right-handed, or from the left side if you are left-handed, giving it a quarter turn toward yourself. Repeat the process until the dough feels smooth and bouncy. When you press it with your finger, it should spring back. If the dough is too sticky to knead, add a little more oil to the work surface and your hand; if it remains impossibly sticky, sprinkle with a little more flour. A plastic pastry scraper is useful for scraping up any dough that has stuck to the work surface.

Shape the dough into a ball by cupping both hands and squeezing the base as you turn it a few times on your work surface. Transfer it to a bowl, cover with a plate or plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm place to rise for at least 45 minutes, until doubled in size. At this stage, you can refrigerate the dough, covered, for up to 2 days; remove it 30 minutes before proceeding with your chosen recipe.

Caramelized onion tart with anchovies and olives

Serves: 6 to 8

1/4 cup (60 mL) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the pan 6 large yellow onions (about 3 lb/1.3 kg), cut lengthwise in half and thinly sliced 2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme 2 bay leaves Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 8 anchovy fillets packed in oil, or 1 tsp good-quality anchovy paste and 6 anchovies Olive Oil Bread Dough (see recipe), allowed to rise until doubled 7 Niçoise olives

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan or sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions, thyme, bay leaves and a large pinch of salt, and stir to combine. Cover with a circle of parchment paper to keep in some of the steam and cook over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring every few minutes. At this stage, the onions will still be translucent, but the liquid should have evaporated.

Now turn up the heat to medium and cook the onions, without stirring, until they start to stick to the bottom of the pan, about 5 minutes. Scrape up the caramelized juices with a wooden spatula and stir into the onions. Repeat this procedure two or three times, letting the onions caramelize for 3 to 4 minutes at a time, still covered with the paper, until they are deep golden. Season with pepper to taste.

Finely chop 2 of the anchovies, if not using anchovy paste. Mix the anchovy paste or chopped anchovies into the onions. Cook for another 2 minutes or so, stirring once or twice. Remove from the heat.

Preheat the oven to 375F (190C). Oil a 12-inch (30-cm) pizza pan or a 12-by-16-inch (30-by-40-cm) baking sheet.

Turn the dough out onto the pan and gently press out the air with your hands. Cover with a dish towel and let rest for 5 minutes.

Using the palms of both hands, gently stretch the dough, without tearing it, until it covers the surface of the pizza pan or makes a free-form oval about 10 by 13 inches (25 by 35 cm) on the baking sheet.

Spread the onion/anchovy mixture evenly over the dough, right to the edges. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the onions have started to darken around the edges.

Decorate the pissaladière with the remaining anchovy fillets and olives, arranging the anchovies in a starburst pattern and placing the olives between the fillets (and a final one in the centre). Return the pissaladière to the oven for another 5 minutes, or until the crust has browned on the bottom. Serve warm or at room temperature. Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days and reheated in a 325F (160C) oven for 5 to 7 minutes.

Upside-down apple tart with lemon and olive oil

Serves: 6 to 8

Quick Basic Pastry (recipe follows), chilled for at least 15 minutes

For the filling: 6 Golden Delicious apples (about 3 lb/1.3 kg) 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (zest the lemon first) 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar 1 tbsp finely grated lemon zest (preferably from an organic lemon) 3 tbsp unsalted butter 2 tbsp fruity, mild-tasting extra-virgin olive oil

Peel the apples. Core them using an apple corer, or cut into quarters and remove the cores. If you used an apple corer, cut the apples into quarters. Toss the apple quarters with the lemon juice in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, rub the sugar and lemon zest together with your fingertips for about 30 seconds, to release the essential oils.

Cut the butter into chunks and place in a cast-iron or other ovenproof 9-inch (23-cm) frying pan. Spread the lemon sugar evenly over the bottom of the pan (on top of the butter).

Arrange the apple quarters, on their sides, in concentric circles in the pan, packing them as tightly as possible (they will lose volume as they cook). Drizzle the olive oil over the apples.

Place the pan over medium-low heat and cook the apples in the butter, olive oil and sugar for about 30 minutes, rotating the pan every few minutes, until the liquid thickens and turns golden brown. Baste the apples now and then using a turkey baster, a silicone basting brush or a spoon. There should be about 1/2 inch (1 cm) of caramel on the bottom of the pan. Do not let it get too dark, as the colour will deepen in the oven.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400F (200C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.

When the juices are golden, roll out the pastry to a round at least 10 inches (25 cm) in diameter, sprinkling both the pastry and your work surface lightly with flour. The pastry should be a little thicker than for a normal tart, as it needs to hold its shape when you flip the tart over. Place a 9-inch (23-cm) lid or cake pan on the pastry and, using a small knife, trim it to a circle slightly larger (by about 1/4 inch/0.5 cm) than the lid or pan.

Place the rolling pin at the top of the pastry and roll up the pastry on the rolling pin, then unroll it over the apples. Tuck the edges in around the apples as best you can, being careful not to burn yourself. Place the pan on the lined baking sheet, as the juices may bubble over.

Bake the tart for 25 to 30 minutes, until the pastry is golden. Remove from the oven and let stand for at least 5 minutes. (You can also let the tart cool completely in the pan, then warm it for a couple of minutes on top of the stove to melt the caramel before unmoulding it.)

Turn the tart out onto a plate that is just a little larger than your pan: Run a knife around the edges of the tart to release any caramel that has hardened. Place the plate upside down over the pan, hold the pan and plate tightly together using two oven mitts, and flip it over confidently. Lift off the pan, and rearrange any apple slices that have stuck to the pan on top of the tart.

Cook’s note: I have invested in a copper tarte Tatin pan, which distributes the heat perfectly, but for many years I used a cast-iron skillet with great results. A good-quality round cake pan (not with a removable base) can also work.

Quick basic pastry

Makes: enough for one 9-inch (23 cm) round tart shell

1 1/2 cups (180 g) all-purpose flour 1/4 cup (25 g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted 1/4 tsp fine sea salt 6 tbsp (90 mL) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces 1 large egg yolk, cold from the refrigerator 1/4 cup (60 mL) very cold crème fraîche or whipping cream

Place the flour, confectioners’ sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse a couple of times to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture forms coarse crumbs.

Add the egg yolk and crème fraîche or whipping cream and pulse just until the dough starts to gather together around the blade.

Remove the dough from the bowl, shape into a ball and flatten into a disk about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. Roll out right away if it is not too soft, or wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 15 minutes, and up to 24 hours.

Place the flour, confectioners sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed to combine. Add the butter and mix until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about 1 minute.

Add the egg yolk and cream and mix on low speed until the dough forms a ball, 15 to 20 seconds. Be careful not to overmix, but do let the dough come together.

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