Photo by Jun Pang
Nicoise salad is a salad that is traditionally served with tuna. Usually, it is a salad of beans, tomatoes, nicoise olives and boiled eggs then served with a vinaigrette. There’s a lot of speculation as to where it originated and even the great Julia Childs gets a guernsey.
This is easy stuff. Sometimes you just don’t know what you’re hungry for; you’re hungry but don’t know what to eat. This is the perfect dish for that moment. It is easy and you don’t really have to get the kitchen dirty. It’s fresh and a good healthy alternative.
Tinned tuna is not bad. Not all things from tins are bad, they just get a bad wrap. In Spain, the fish come straight from the dock and canned right there on the spot, perfect, can’t get any better or fresher. Get used to the best brand and yeah, there are good brands out there. If you are a traditionalist and there are good, decent grade tuna at the fish mongers then use fresh tuna and pan sear it only to medium rare to keep it moist and tender.
Tuna Nicoise Salad
Serve 4
1 Large Tin of Tuna
1 Cucumber – Cut into quarters length ways, sliced
1 Punnet Cherry Tomatoes – Halved
½ Red Onions – Finely Sliced
3 Cups Green Beans – Blanched and refreshed in cold water
6 Eggs – Boiled, peeled and quartered
1/2 Cup Kalamatta Olives
3/4 Cup Olive Oil
1/4 Cup Aged Red Wine Vinegar
3 Tblspn Seeded Mustard
Sea Salt
Black Pepper
Method
- Drain the tuna well. You may choose to use fresh tuna if you wish, seasoned and pan fried medium rare.
- Place the cucumber, cherry tomatoes, onions, olives and green beans in bowl.
- Make a dressing of olive oil, mustard and vinegar and whisk until emulsified and season to taste.
- Pour dressing on the salad and season to taste
- Arrange on a plate and garnish with boiled eggs
Photo by Jun Pang