This story is part of On Repeat, a series in which we ask top chefs, cookbook authors, and other famous foodies about the dishes they just can’t quit.
For this week’s edition of On Repeat we turned to Leah Koenig to see what Earth-friendly entrée she can’t quit. The author of seven cookbooks—most recently Portico, which highlights Roman-Jewish cuisine—Koenig turned to a classic dish she recently delved into in her newsletter, The Jewish Table: salade Niçoise.
The dish conventionally consists of raw seasonal vegetables, along with anchovies or canned tuna (not both), and hard-boiled eggs. Even in Nice, one finds all manner of variations, so Koenig is in good company. “If you’re willing to go outside of tradition, you can really play around with the ingredients,” she says.
Why I love it
“It’s adaptable to the seasons and to what you have on hand, and it’s something you can compose rather than doing a lot of cooking. It’s a way of taking basic fresh ingredients and—without a lot of preparation—making something that feels special.
“I think I love it most because it’s something my mom made a lot when I was growing up. She really loved fresh foods and always shopped at the farmer’s market, even before that was a cool thing to do. So this reminds me of her style of cooking.”
What I’ve changed
“Again, you have to get over the fact that you’re not doing the traditional Niçoise, which is pretty set in terms of ingredients. Instead of tuna, I often use grilled tofu to make it plant-based. You can add roasted squash in the fall and green beans in the spring. If I have marinated artichokes, I throw those in.
“When I’m thinking about what I want on the plate, I try to have a mix of textures as well as flavors. So roasted cherry tomatoes are a really good addition because they’re soft and silky, and maybe I’ll add fresh bell pepper or something for a little crunch, and there’s the creaminess of the hard-boiled egg or the boiled potatoes. You get a mix of color, flavor, and texture all in one salad.”
What else I’m into right now
Indoor herb gardening. I recently got my kids into the idea of sprouting herbs. We got this little glass-jar herb garden from Modern Sprout. I’m never able to finish a big bunch of herbs that I buy, so it’s nice to be able to grow your own and cut as needed so you don’t worry about food waste.
Convenient composting. About a year ago I bought a Lomi, which is an indoor home composter that turns your food scraps into soil. Then Brooklyn started doing community composting again, so it’s not as necessary in my life anymore. But if you live somewhere where you don’t have an easy way to compost, it’s a nice way to reduce your food waste.
Reusable food storage. I’m not dogmatic about most things, but I have essentially banned single-use plastics when it comes to our family’s food storage. When we first made the switch, I thought it would be difficult, but I really don’t miss them. We store leftovers in these great Pyrex containers (I love that they are see-through so you can see what’s inside). And I send my kids to school with their lunches packed in Bentgo lunch boxes and snacks stored in these stainless-steel containers by Everusely. It costs a bit more at the outset, but I never have to restock baggies or plastic wrap.