This classic Provencal salad is said to originate in the city of Nice, France. It can be served on a bed of lettuce with the vegetables grouped together along with the eggs, tuna and black olives. Here, most of the vegetables and the tuna are mixed together with an assertive citrus vinaigrette. The eggs, tomatoes and basil are arranged around the salad to provide a colorful garnish. More dressing can be served on the side.
It's easy to julienne vegetables after you know how. Simply cut a vegetable into a rectangle and then cut into thin slices one way and then cut into thin slices the other way creating long, thin slices that look pretty in the salad.
Make sure to cook the hard-boiled eggs so that they have a bright yellow center that offsets the other colors in the salad. The best method is to bring the eggs to a boil, then turn off the heat and cover them for 10 minutes. Cool and peel.
Nicoise olives are small, dark and oval-shaped. Their briny meatiness add a unique and defining signature to this zesty vegetable-and-tuna mixture. You can find Nicoise olives that are grown in France or Morocco in most supermarkets.
For a festive lunch, begin with a chilled soup like sweet pea or corn soup. Serve the salad with crusty French rolls. To drink, why not a chilled sauvignon blanc or a French rose⢠Dessert can be as simple as sliced peaches and nectarines along with a chunk of Port Salut or a log of fresh goat cheese.
• 1 pound red-skinned potatoes
• Water
• 1 pound green beans, cleaned and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 medium-size carrots, peeled and julienned
• 1 small sweet red bell pepper, seeded and julienned
• 1/2 cup Nicoise olives, drained and stemmed
• 1 small red onion, very thinly sliced and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped basil
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 3 cans imported tuna packed in oil, drained and broken into chunks, divided
For the dressing :
• 2 medium-size cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped basil
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the garnish :
• 3 hard-cooked eggs, quartered, for garnish
• 2 small tomatoes, sliced into sixths, for garnish
• Basil leaves
In a large pot of boiling water, cook the potatoes until tender but slightly resistant when pierced with a fork, for 20 to 30 minutes. Drain and cool. When cool, peel and cut into julienne slices. Place in a large bowl.
In a medium-size saucepan, bring water to a boil. Immerse the green beans and cook until tender but slightly resistant, for 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and place in ice water to stop the cooking. When cool, drain well and place in the bowl with the potatoes.
Add the carrots, red bell pepper, olives, red onion, capers, basil, black pepper and half of the tuna to the vegetables and toss to combine.
To make the dressing : In a small bowl, combine the garlic, mustard, basil and lemon juice. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until thoroughly combined. Add salt and pepper, and taste for seasoning.
When ready to serve, use just enough dressing to moisten the salad. Toss carefully to combine, making sure not to break up the capers. Taste for seasoning. Mound the salad high in a large, shallow bowl. Place the remaining tuna on the top of the salad. Spoon a little dressing on the tuna. Alternate the egg wedges and tomato wedges around the outside edge. Garnish with basil leaves, and serve. Serve extra dressing on the side.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
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