Easy Tuna Nicoise Salad

This is one of my favorite dishes. I order it any time I can find it on a menu. My two favorite places to order this salad are Marigold, in Colorado Springs (where they also use pepperocinis and red onion in their salad) and some hotel in Austin, Texas, where they use ahi tuna instead of tuna salad.

You might notice that there are few (are there any?) recipes for salads on this blog. That is because I typically don't like cold food. This salad, however, is more of a casserole than a salad. I like it because it is filling. I like it because it is warm. I like it because it is pretty.

A quick, fancy meal
That brags of being healthy
(Except the mayo)

Ingredients:

• lettuce - as much as you want. Boston or butter leaves, washed, dried, torn
  
• a handful of green beans, lightly steamed and cooled to room temperature
  
• 2 medium red potatoes, boiled, but not mushy, quartered
• 2 hard boiled eggs, shelled and quartered
• 8 kalamata olives
• 1 medium vine ripened tomato, cut into eight pieces
• 1 can tuna, in spring water
  
• mayonnaise - either homemade, or Hellmann's
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, mashed and minced
• 2 Tbsp dijon mustard
  
• 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 Tbsp champagne vinegar
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp dried parsley
• freshly ground black pepper
• fresh parsley (optional)
  

1. Mix the garlic, mustard, vinegars, lemon juice and parsley together well and let sit while cooking, chopping and tearing the rest of the ingredients. Add the olive oil and whisk together.
   
2. When the green beans and potatoes have cooled, toss them in the dressing along with the tomatoes.
3. Prepare each plate individually with lettuce, green beans, potatoes, eggs, tomatoes, and olives.
4. Shred the tuna in a bowl and mix with mayonnaise to taste. Put a dollop of tuna in the middle of each salad and drizzle the remaining dressing over the rest of the salad. Top with freshly ground black pepper and fresh parsley (if using).
5. Serve immediately. This salad is best at room temperature.

• Where are the anchovies?? [They're not included; I don't like them.]
• I thought this was made with raw ahi tuna slices!? [It can be. But then it isn't "easy tuna nicoise salad.]

Enjoy! (Serves 2)

For an idea on how to use this as part of a meal, check out my Summer French Dinner Menu.
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