My Tuna Salad Nicoise Recipes

Steps:

• Spoon tuna onto 4 spinach-covered plates; surround with eggs, beans and vegetables.
• Sprinkle with cheese.
• Drizzle with dressing just before serving.

Steps:

• Bring 2 medium pots of salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes to 1 pot and blanch until tender, about 5 to 6 minutes. Drain in a colander, pat dry, and set aside. Add the green beans to the other pot and blanch until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain in a colander, pat dry, and set aside.
• Arrange the tuna on a cutting board and cut into 4 equal portions. Season the tuna steaks with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, each. Heat the oil in a large skillet (or 2 medium skillets), over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the rosemary sprigs and tuna steaks and sear, about 30 seconds per side for medium-rare. Remove from the pan and dice the tuna into 1-inch pieces.
• Tear the lettuce into bite-size pieces and combine with chopped fresh parsley and tarragon. Toss with enough of the Anchovy Dressing just to coat. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper as needed. Toss the potatoes and green beans in 1/4 cup of the Anchovy Dressing. Arrange the lettuce along the side of 4 large plates (or 1 serving platter). Spoon the vegetables along the other side of the plate. Arrange the diced tuna over the lettuce. Arrange the tomatoes, olives, sliced red onions, and eggs on the other sides of the plates (or serving platter). Garnish with additional herbs if desired and serve immediately.
• In a medium bowl, mash the anchovy, salt, pepper, and garlic into a paste with the back of a fork. Add the egg and whisk well to blend. Add the lemon juice and mustard, and whisk well. Add the oils in a steady stream, whisking constantly to form a thick emulsion. Add the shallots, capers and Worcestershire, whisk well, and adjust the seasoning, to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Steps:

• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.
• Wrap the beets tightly in a packet of aluminum foil. Set directly on the oven rack and bake until very tender, 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool the beets in the foil to room temperature. The beets can be prepared to this point up to 1 day in advance. Refrigerate them in their foil, returning them to room temperature before proceeding. Peel the beets and cut them into eighths.
• On a sheet pan, toss the potatoes with the oil. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Toss the potatoes, stirring them occasionally, until they are tender and well browned, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool.
• Bring a medium pan of water to a boil. Add the artichokes and 2 teaspoons salt and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender when pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes. Drain well and cool. Quarter the artichokes vertically.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the haricots verts and 2 teaspoons salt. Cook until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes after the water returns to a boil. Drain the haricots verts, immediately transfer them to a bowl of iced water and let stand just until cool. Drain well.
• Prepare a hot charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill to medium high. When the fire is hot, distribute the wood chips if you are using them. Position the grill rack about 6-inches above the heat.
• Spread one side of the tuna with half the tapenade. When the fire is hot, lay the fish on the rack, tapenade side down. Cover and grill for 4 minutes. Spread the upper side of the tuna with the remaining tapenade. Turn the fish and grill another 3 to 5 minutes for medium rare, or until done to your liking. Transfer to a cutting board and cool slightly. Remove and discard the skin and cut the tuna into slices that are 2-inches long and about 1/2-inch thick. Season generously with freshly ground pepper.
• In a medium bowl, toss the artichokes with 1 tablespoon of the vinaigrette. In a second bowl, toss the potatoes with 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette. In a third bowl, toss the beets and red onions with 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette. In a fourth bowl, toss the tomatoes with 2 tablespoons of the of the vinaigrette. Season each vegetable to taste with salt and pepper and marinate for 30 minutes.
• Mound the mesclun in the center of a large platter. Spoon the marinated artichokes, potatoes, beets, and tomatoes around, not on, the mesclun. Add the hard cooked egg wedges to the platter and drizzle them with a tablespoon or two of vinaigrette. Arrange the tuna slices over the mesclun and drizzle the fish with 3 tablespoons of vinaigrette. Scatter the olives and arrange the caper berries decoratively over and around the various components and serve immediately. Pass the remaining vinaigrette at the table.
• In a medium bowl whisk together the vingar, mustard, shallot, hot pepper sauce and salt. Continue to whisk while adding the oil in a slow stream; the dressing will thicken. Add freshly ground pepper to taste and adjust the seasoning. Use within an hour or so of completion.

Steps:

• To make the vinaigrette: combine all ingredients in a mason jar. Screw the cap on the jar and shake the vinaigrette vigorously to emulsify. Set the dressing aside while preparing the salad so the flavors can marry.
• Cooking the potatoes, eggs, and green beans in the same pot cuts down on prep time and clean up. To do this, put the potatoes in a large saucepan, add water to cover and a nice pinch of salt; bring to a boil over medium heat. Simmer the potatoes for 12 minutes to give them a head start, and then add the eggs. Place a steamer basket or colander on top of the simmering water. Put the green beans in the steamer and cover with a lid. Steam the beans for 5 minutes until crisp-tender while continuing to cook the potatoes until fork tender. Drain out the water and put the potatoes, eggs, and green beans in a colander; rinse briefly under cold water. Peel the shells off the eggs and cut them in 1/2 lengthwise.
• Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Rub the tuna on all sides with olive oil, and a bit of the vinaigrette; season with a fair amount of salt and pepper. Lay the tuna in the hot pan and sear for approximately 2 minutes on each side; as the tuna cooks, the red meat will become whiter. Transfer the tuna to a cutting board and slice.
• To assemble the salad: combine the potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, olives, anchovies, capers, and chives in a large mixing bowl. Take the vinaigrette and give it another good shake to recombine. Drizzle the salad with enough vinaigrette to fully moisten and toss gently to coat; season with salt and pepper. Take care not to mush up the ingredients - the important thing about salad nicoise is that it is arranged nicely on a platter with all the elements keeping their individual integrity. Put the tossed salad down the center of a serving platter and lay the seared tuna attractively across the top and the eggs around the rim. Drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette and serve.

Steps:

• Spoon tuna onto 2 spinach-covered plates; surround with eggs, beans, onions, potatoes and tomatoes.
• Sprinkle with cheese.
• Top with dressing just before serving.