Tuna Nicoise Salad

Tuna Niçoise salad is a classic French salad that typically includes tuna, potatoes, green beans, olives, and hard-boiled eggs. Here's a simple recipe for Tuna Niçoise Salad:

This is for 2 people for dinner or 4 people for a nice lunch.

Ingredients:

For the Salad:

•  5 baby potatoes, halved or quartered
•  150g  green beans, trimmed
•  1 can large of tuna, drained and flaked (200g tin in spring water or olive)
•  2/4 large eggs, boiled and halved
•  10 cherry tomatoes, halved
•  10 Kalamata olives, pitted, but what ever olives you may have will work.
•  1 large handful of mixed salad greens for each plate, or if being served as a sharing plate 1/2 a handful (some iceberg, rocket, romain, red leaf, again what ever you have available)

For the Dressing:

•  80ml  extra-virgin olive oil (this can be half and half with the oil from the tuna tin)
•  3 tablespoons red wine vinegar. Or what ever you may have, white wine vinegar, even a balsamic would work.
•  2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
•  Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Cook you eggs:
•  With room temperature eggs. Bring a pot of water to the boil and gently lower your eggs in, probably with a spoon is best to make sure they do not break. Set a timer for 6 mins and then remove them in to iced water or run under the cold tap for 2/3 mins.
•  To peel them crack the shell on the work surface and roll them gently to break up the shell a little and then peel. They will still be a little soft so be gentle. Then cut in half when you are ready to serve the salad.
2. Prepare the Dressing:
•  In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Adjust the seasoning to taste. If you like a little more acidity then add a little more vinegar, if the tuna was in oil this may be a good idea to cut through the richness
3. Cook the Potatoes:
•  Place the halved or quartered baby potatoes in a pot of salted water. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 10-15 minutes. Drain and set aside. But while still warm drizzle half the dressing over the top and season with some salt and pepper.
4. Blanch the Green Beans:
•  In the same pot or a separate pot of boiling water, blanch the green beans for about 2-3 minutes until they are crisp-tender. Drain and transfer to an ice water bath to stop the cooking process. Drain again and set aside.

•  Assemble the Salad:
•  Arrange the mixed salad greens on a large serving platter.
•  Arrange the cooked and cooled potatoes, green beans, tuna, hard-boiled eggs, cherry tomatoes, and olives on top of the greens.

1. Drizzle with Dressing:
•  Drizzle the dressing over the salad or serve it on the side.
2. Serve:
•  Serve the Tuna Niçoise Salad immediately, allowing each person to drizzle more dressing if desired.

Feel free to customize this recipe based on your preferences. Some variations include adding artichoke hearts, capers, or anchovies. But also if you don’t like something in the recipe or don’t have it in the cupboard, just sub it out.

That’s the joy of cooking making it how you want with the ingredients you like!

Happy Cooking

Love Del x