Salad Niçoise

Salad of potato, tomato, egg, tuna, green beans, radishes + olives

This salad is perfect for sharing, serve on a large platter or individual plates. Use “new” potatoes, fingerling or red-skinned potatoes. Nicola potatoes from Blue Sky Organic Farms in Phoenix are ideal. Niçoise olives may be hard to find, try Peruvian black olives in brine.

Yield: 2-4 servings

Salad:
½ lb. boiled potatoes, eyes + stem removed
¼ lb. green beans, blanched and shocked
2-4 small radishes, thoroughly rinsed & dried, stem + root ends removed
2 eight-minute eggs, peeled
1 five oz. can high-quality tuna, oil packed preferred
2-4 T. brined black olives, pitted and torn in half
2-3 c. mesclun mix or lettuce
1-2 T. parsley, roughly chopped
¼ t. salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Slice potatoes ⅛” thick and season with salt. Cut green beans in half (on a bias), garnish with sesame seeds, if desired. Cut radishes into wedges, spritz with walnut oil, if desired. Cut eggs according to your preference, season with salt + pepper. Gently drain tuna.

Lightly dress greens with vinaigrette. Arrange greens on platter. Add components as small mounds around the plate‒ start with potatoes, then green beans, tuna, eggs, then radishes, with olives in the center (alternate pale + colorful).

Drizzle remaining vinaigrette over potatoes + tuna especially, then over remaining ingredients. Sprinkle potatoes, tuna + eggs with parsley. 

Add an egg for each additional person or a second can of tuna, if desired. You can use really good cherry tomatoes if you want‒ cut them in half and season with salt + pepper.

Vinaigrette:
2 T. white wine vinegar
2 t. dijon mustard
2 t. honey
1 T. lemon juice
¼ t. salt
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ c. olive oil
Pinch of finely chopped parsley, if desired

Combine vinegar, mustard, honey, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Drizzle in olive oil, whisk until emulsified. (Or shake ingredients in 8 oz. mason jar. Combine vinegar-pepper. Then add olive oil and shake) Taste. Add 1-2 T. olive oil to round out acidity, if needed. Add parsley (if using).

This salad can also be served with seared Ahi tuna steaks, instead of canned tuna. Defrost tuna and pat dry. Season with salt + pepper. Sear in a hot, heavy-bottomed pan on both sides. Tuna should be rare. Remove from pan and place on cutting board. Slice against the grain, 1 cm. thick.

Parboiled Potatoes:
It's very important the potatoes don't get waterlogged‒ don't prick the skin with a fork and if the skin splits while cooking, remove that potato first.

1-5 lbs. potatoes, of relatively similar size, (new potatoes or waxy potatoes)
Pot with lid (large enough that it's no more than half full of potatoes)

Scrub potatoes clean, do not pierce skin (leave eyes, etc.). Place in pot and add cold water, cover potatoes with 2 inches of water. Add ½ t. salt. Bring to boil, cover and reduce to a strong simmer (the sweet spot between boiling over and not bubbling at all). Cook about 20 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Remove a potato to test it. A fork should pierce the flesh easily. Drain potatoes and allow to dry and cool. Refrigerate potatoes for further use. (Remove eyes before slicing potatoes.)

Blanch + Shock Method:
Plunging vegetables into boiling water and then into ice water is a technique called 'blanch and shock.' Blanching softens vegetables and brightens colors, and shocking stops the cooking process immediately.

½ - 1 lb. green beans, rinsed, stem ends trimmed

6-8 quart pot
Heat-safe mixing bowl
1-2 quarts ice
1 T. ice
2-3 quarts cold water
Slotted spoon, tongs or 'spider'
Colander

Blanch: Bring 3-4 quarts of water, seasoned with ½ T. salt, to a boil. Fill bowl halfway with ice, sprinkle with ½ T. salt and cover with cold water. Stir well and set aside. Plunge vegetables into boiling water and return to boil, set timer to avoid overcooking. (Taste veggies for tenderness.)

Shock: Set bowl next to pot and lift beans out using utensil, transferring vegetables to ‘ice bath.’ Submerge completely, add more cold water or ice if necessary to cover or maintain temperature. Place colander in sink. Remove beans once cool, about 3-5 minutes, using utensil. (Remove any ice cubes.) Use right away, or refrigerate in an airtight container for later use.

Use a colander or strainer to transfer the green beans, if it’s not convenient to set the bowl near the pot. Don't pour blanching water over veggies, it may have sand in it.

Blanching times:
Asparagus‒ 2-4 minutes, depending on thickness
Green Beans‒ 3-4 minutes
Snap or Snow Peas‒ 3 minutes
Hearty Greens‒ 2-3 minutes (3-5 minutes for collards, check before removing)
Shelled peas‒ 3-5 minutes (peas may be starchy, taste before removing)
Carrots, Baby Turnips or Radishes‒ 3-5 minutes (depending on size)

8-Minute Egg Method:
This is one of my favorite styles of eggs. The yolks are slightly jammy‒ perfect for any recipe calling for "hard-boiled" eggs, but with better flavor and color.

2-12 eggs
2-4 qt. pot with lid

Gently place eggs into pot. Fill with cool water, covering eggs by 1 inch. Place pot on burner. Heat uncovered, over medium high flame until water boils. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand 8 minutes.

Carefully pour off hot water. Fill pot with cold water and let stand 10-20 minutes. Gently peel eggs, rinse off any small pieces of shell as needed. 

(Or refrigerate eggs and peel the next day. Eggs peel best right away or when thoroughly cold.)

French breakfast radishes + green beans garnished with sesame seeds