Classic Tuna Nicoise Salad Recipes

CLASSIC NICOISE SALAD

Steps:

• Put the potatoes in a medium saucepan; cover with cold water and season with salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook until fork-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and transfer to a medium bowl; drizzle with the wine and let cool. Reserve the saucepan.
• Meanwhile, bring a separate saucepan of salted water to a boil. Fill a bowl with salted ice water. Add the haricots verts to the boiling water; cook until crisp-tender and bright green, 2 to 4 minutes. Drain and immediately plunge into the ice water to cool; drain and pat dry.
• Place the eggs in the reserved saucepan and cover with cold water by about 1 inch. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then cover, remove from the heat and let stand, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, then run under cold water to cool. Peel under cold running water.
• Make the dressing: Whisk the vinegar, shallot, mustard, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in a bowl. Whisk in the olive oil in a slow, steady stream until emulsified.
• Toss the tomatoes ian a small bowl with salt and pepper to taste. Add about 1/4 cup dressing to the potatoes and toss. Quarter the hard-cooked eggs.
• Divide the lettuce among 4 plates. Arrange the potatoes, haricots verts, radishes, hard-cooked eggs and tuna on top. Pour any juices from the tomatoes into the dressing, then add the tomatoes to the plates. Drizzle with the dressing and top with the olives.

CLASSIC TUNA NICOISE SALAD

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, cover potatoes with cold water and bring to a boil. Boil for 5-8 minutes, until tender but still firm when pierced with a fork (may take longer if you're using larger potatoes). Remove potatoes to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking, but don't dump out the boiling water.
• Add haricots verts or green beans to the boiling water and boil for 2-4 minutes or until tender-crisp (may take longer if you're using regular green beans rather than haricots verts). Remove green beans to ice water.
• In a medium bowl or glass measuring cup, mix together all dressing ingredients except the olive oil. Drizzle in olive oil slowly while whisking constantly.
• If using fresh tuna steaks, heat a medium skillet to medium high heat. Pat tuna steaks dry and rub with some canola oil, salt and pepper. (olive oil will smoke at high heat). Cook 4-6 minutes per half-inch thickness, flipping once, or until fish starts to flake easily when tested with a fork. Cool and then flake apart into bite-sized chunks by hand. If you'd like your tuna rare instead, cook 1 1/2 minutes per side, then cut into slices with a sharp knife.
• Optional: Toast the capers in a skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until they are a little crispy on the edges. You can use them straight out of the jar if you'd like to skip an extra dish, but if you're already cooking fresh tuna it's easy to just throw the capers in the same pan after you remove the tuna.
• In a separate large bowl, toss about half of the vinaigrette with the greens, then divide greens onto two plates. Cut cooked, cooled potatoes into quarters, then toss with a little dressing in the bowl, and arrange onto plates. Repeat with beans and tomatoes, radishes, and tuna.
• Arrange hard boiled eggs, olives, and anchovies (if using) onto plates as well. Top with capers and drizzle with any remaining dressing.