Salad Niçoise with Tuna

Serves 6

This is a Guest Recipe inspired by Robert Carrier.

Salad Niçoise reminds me of all those wonderful holidays in the South of France

where the fresh and tangy flavours of this dish combine to make something pretty special.

Our garden potatoes are now abundant and it is always great to find recipes that include them.

They taste so marvellous, that I tend to be pretty generous with my portions and more likely cooked at least kilo

of them, but they just make this dish taste incredible.

You might prefer to grill fresh tuna steaks instead of using tinned!

If you can find fresh mixed olives marinated in virgin olive oil and

Herbes de Provence, then these will add an even more authentic flavour.

This is an attractive and popular Summer dish, which not only looks pretty

but is perfect served with a crusty baguette and a chilled Rosé wine.

Ingredients

• 4 large tomatoes, washed and quartered (these should be really ripe - or you could use cherry tomatoes, halved)
  
• One red onion, finely sliced
  
• One green or yellow pepper, deseeded and sliced
  
• 8 radishes, trimmed and finely sliced
  
• Two lettuce hearts (I used a Cos lettuce)
  
• Four stalks of celery, finely sliced
  
• One large tin of tuna fish (or you can grill with olive oil, four fresh seasoned fillets of Tuna, if you prefer)
  
• 8 anchovy fillets, snip these in half with scissors
  
• Four hard-boiled eggs, quartered
  
• Small pot ripe black olives (to be found in the chilled cabinet of most supermarkets)
  
• 500g Baby new potatoes (cut into small chunks and boil in salted water, drain and set aside)
  
• And boiled fresh green beans (either a good handful from the garden or a packet, cut in half before cooking)

For the salad dressing

• 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
  
• 6 tablespoons of olive oil
  
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  
• Sea salt
  
• Pinch of caster sugar or alternative or small teaspoon honey
  
• Freshly ground black pepper

AND THIS IS WHAT YOU DO …

1. As soon as the beans and potatoes are cooked, drain, combine and toss in some of the dressing.
   
   
2. It is best to assemble your remaining ingredients and keep them separate until the last minute.
   
   
3. Take a large flat serving dish, arrange the lettuce leaves.
   
   
4. Pile the dressed potatoes and beans in the centre of the dish.
   
   
5. Scatter the sliced red onion with the celery and peppers and then add the tomatoes.
   
   
6. Scatter the sliced radishes and then place the fish evenly on the top.
   
   
7.  Finally, carefully place the quartered eggs each with a half slice of anchovy fillet on each one and then scatter the black olives on top of the dish.
   
   
8. Give the dressing a good shake in its bottle and drizzle..
   
   
9. Serve with Fresh crusty Baguette and chilled Rosé wine and eat al Fresco!