Nicoise Salad with Olive Oil Packed Tuna
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SERVES:
4
INGREDIENTS:
• 1 pound baby potatoes (or a little less)
• 4 large eggs
• Approx.3-4 cups trimmed and halved green beans
• 8 ounces olive oil packed tuna (or 16-ounces for very generous servings)
• 2 cups sliced grape tomatoes
• 3/4-1 cup olives (Nicoise olives are traditional but Kalamata are fine)
• 2-3 Tbs capers, well drained
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 Tbs red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• Black pepper to taste
• Chopped parsley or tarragon to taste (optional)
PROCEDURE:
1. For 4 salads you'll need to get about 1 pound of baby potatoes going in a pot of water on the stove and also use a smaller pot to hard boil 4 large eggs. Just as the water starts to simmer time the eggs for exactly 12 minutes then run them under cold water and peel.
2. As soon as you can easily insert a knife into the potatoes scoop those out of the pot into a mixing bowl and then cool them down under cold running water, drain and slice crosswise.
3. Next, add 3-4 cups of trimmed and halved green beans to the potato pot and blanch those for 4-5 minutes and then cool those down as well.
4. As far as the dressing for the salad goes you could use regular olive oil or use the olive oil from the jarred tuna.
5. Count on 3 parts olive oil to 1 part red wine vinegar, add a little dollop of Dijon mustard to that and a good crack of black pepper and whisk it up.
6. At this point it is time to assemble the salad so you'll want to put the sliced potatoes in a mixing bowl and add the green beans, sliced tomatoes, olives and capers and then toss those with enough dressing to lightly coat everything.
7. Divide that up on individual plates and crumble some of the jarred tuna over the top of that and put 1 sliced hard boiled egg on each plate, finish with a little more dressing and it is good to go!
HINTS:
Substitute 3-4 ounces of fresh seared tuna per salad instead or use regular oil packed canned tuna instead of the imported olive oil packed tuna used here.