Salad Nicoise

Salad Nicoise is the ideal way to display a wonderful bounty of fresh ingredients. This salad is packed with protein and features seared tuna, anchovies, eggs, asparagus spears and an array of vegetables. This French salad recipe is definitely unlike any other salad you have ever had. It is loaded with great ingredients that work surprisingly well.

Ingredients(Serves 5)

Vinaigrette:

¾ cup olive oil
½ cup fresh lemon juice
1 small shallot, minced
1 ½ tablespoons fresh basil leaves, minced
½ tablespoon fresh thyme, minced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Pinch of dry oregano
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste

Salad:
2 tuna steaks, 8 oz. each
Olive oil
½ lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon soya sauce
Salt and black pepper, to taste
10-15 asparagus spears
1 cup fresh green beans
2 heads lettuce
2 ripe tomatoes
1 red onion, thinly sliced
6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and sliced in half
¼ cup olives
Anchovies

Add tuna steaks to a baking dish and coat with olive oil, lemon juice, sesame oil, soya sauce, salt and black pepper. Cover and marinade in the fridge for one hour.

Heat a large pan over medium high heat and add tuna steaks. Get a nice sear on each side. This should take about 2 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and set aside.

In a bowl add all the vinaigrette ingredients. Whisk until emulsified.

Place asparagus spears in a pot and cover with hot water from a kettle. Bring to a boil.

Cook until tender. Drain, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a smaller pot bring salted water to a boil.

Prepare an ice bath.

Blanch green beans for 3 minutes or until tender.

Place into the ice bath to maintain that lovely colour. Drain beans and set aside.

Tear lettuce leaves and place into a salad bowl. Add some of the vinaigrette and toss. Arrange on a serving platter.

Cut tuna into ½ inch strips and coat with a little vinaigrette. Place in the centre of the lettuce.

Toss green beans in about 3 tablespoons of vinaigrette. Place at the end of the bed of lettuce along with the asparagus spears.

Toss tomatoes, red onion and 2 tablespoons vinaigrette in a bowl and place on the lettuce.

Add hard boiled eggs, olives and anchovies.

Drizzle salad with remaining vinaigrette and serve.