Salad Nicoise

Step inside the door of this restaurant. Their window display certainly caught my attention. 
Salads in France are usually served after the main course. They are simple greens with a light vinaigrette type of dressing. But Salad Nicoise can be found on the menu as a lunch entree.  

Salad Niçoise (pronounced nee-suaz) is essentially a French composed salad, much like our American Cobb Salad, but with tuna, green beans, and potatoes, instead of chicken, bacon, and avocado. Salad Niçoise hails from Nice, on the Mediterranean Sea. Niçoise salads are always made with raw vegetables and served with anchovies. Nicoise salads that are served in America are typically served on a bed of lettuce and include cooked green beans and potatoes. Depending on the establishment it can be canned tuna or freshly grilled tuna. This is one salad where it is all about the presentation :)

The size of this meal above was enough for 4 people!!! when it was served to me. But the recipe below is intended for 4.

Nicoise Salad Recipe

Vinaigrette Dressing or use a prepared dressing 

• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium shallot, minced
• 1 Tbsp minced fresh thyme leaves
• 2 Tbsp minced fresh basil leaves
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano leaves
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Salad
• 2 grilled or otherwise cooked tuna steaks* (8 oz each) or 2-3 cans of tuna
• 6 hard boiled eggs peeled and either halved or quartered
• 10 small new red potatoes (each about 2 inches in diameter, about 1-1/4 pounds total), each potato scrubbed and quartered and cooked  
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 medium heads Boston lettuce or butter lettuce, leaves washed, dried, and torn into bite-sized pieces
• 3 small ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into eighths
• 1 small red onion, sliced very thin
• 8 ounces green beans, stem ends trimmed and each bean halved crosswise and cooked al dente
• 1/4 cup niçoise olives or use any olives of your choice
• 2 Tbsp capers, rinsed and/or several anchovies (optional)