Classic Tuna Nicoise Salad Recipes

TUNA SALAD NIçOISE

Steps:

• Whisk the lemon juice, mustard, shallot, mustard, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Whisk in the olive oil in a slow, steady stream until thick and emulsified. Set dressing aside.
• Boil the green beans in salted water for 3-4 minutes or until just cooked through, but still crisp and bright green. Drain and immediately plunge them into a bowl of ice water. Beans can be cooked a day ahead, kept in the fridge wrapped in a damp paper towel, inside a sealed plastic baggy.
• Scrub or peel potatoes and cut them into 1/4-inch slices crosswise, placing slices in a large bowl of cold water, as you go, to prevent browning. Boil potatoes in salted water for 5 minutes or until they are fork-tender. (They will soften a bit more as they cool.) Drain and transfer them to a large bowl. Season with salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of vinegar. Toss gently and let them cool for 10 minutes or so. Potatoes can be stored overnight in an airtight container in the fridge. (see notes below for more details and substitutions)
• Cut the eggs crosswise into thin slices or cut them in half or into quarters. Do this step at the last minute.
• Compose the salad on a large platter or arrange it onto individual plates. Line a large platter (or plates) with lettuce (trick: for Bibb lettuce, if the leaves curl too much, crack the thick white spines gently to help them lie flat). Arrange ingredients in separate piles around the platter. I like to start with the tuna - slightly off center - and work around it. Sprinkle tomatoes, green beans, eggs and tuna with little salt and pepper. Toss the potatoes with a few tablespoons of dressing, before adding them. Drizzle dressing over everything else except the olives, capers and anchovies. If there's any remaining dressing, serve it on the side. Sprinkle fresh herbs over everything and serve.

CLASSIC TUNA NICOISE SALAD

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, cover potatoes with cold water and bring to a boil. Boil for 5-8 minutes, until tender but still firm when pierced with a fork (may take longer if you're using larger potatoes). Remove potatoes to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking, but don't dump out the boiling water.
• Add haricots verts or green beans to the boiling water and boil for 2-4 minutes or until tender-crisp (may take longer if you're using regular green beans rather than haricots verts). Remove green beans to ice water.
• In a medium bowl or glass measuring cup, mix together all dressing ingredients except the olive oil. Drizzle in olive oil slowly while whisking constantly.
• If using fresh tuna steaks, heat a medium skillet to medium high heat. Pat tuna steaks dry and rub with some canola oil, salt and pepper. (olive oil will smoke at high heat). Cook 4-6 minutes per half-inch thickness, flipping once, or until fish starts to flake easily when tested with a fork. Cool and then flake apart into bite-sized chunks by hand. If you'd like your tuna rare instead, cook 1 1/2 minutes per side, then cut into slices with a sharp knife.
• Optional: Toast the capers in a skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until they are a little crispy on the edges. You can use them straight out of the jar if you'd like to skip an extra dish, but if you're already cooking fresh tuna it's easy to just throw the capers in the same pan after you remove the tuna.
• In a separate large bowl, toss about half of the vinaigrette with the greens, then divide greens onto two plates. Cut cooked, cooled potatoes into quarters, then toss with a little dressing in the bowl, and arrange onto plates. Repeat with beans and tomatoes, radishes, and tuna.
• Arrange hard boiled eggs, olives, and anchovies (if using) onto plates as well. Top with capers and drizzle with any remaining dressing.

CLASSIC NICOISE SALAD

Steps:

• Put the potatoes in a medium saucepan; cover with cold water and season with salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook until fork-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and transfer to a medium bowl; drizzle with the wine and let cool. Reserve the saucepan.
• Meanwhile, bring a separate saucepan of salted water to a boil. Fill a bowl with salted ice water. Add the haricots verts to the boiling water; cook until crisp-tender and bright green, 2 to 4 minutes. Drain and immediately plunge into the ice water to cool; drain and pat dry.
• Place the eggs in the reserved saucepan and cover with cold water by about 1 inch. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then cover, remove from the heat and let stand, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, then run under cold water to cool. Peel under cold running water.
• Make the dressing: Whisk the vinegar, shallot, mustard, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in a bowl. Whisk in the olive oil in a slow, steady stream until emulsified.
• Toss the tomatoes ian a small bowl with salt and pepper to taste. Add about 1/4 cup dressing to the potatoes and toss. Quarter the hard-cooked eggs.
• Divide the lettuce among 4 plates. Arrange the potatoes, haricots verts, radishes, hard-cooked eggs and tuna on top. Pour any juices from the tomatoes into the dressing, then add the tomatoes to the plates. Drizzle with the dressing and top with the olives.

TUNA SALAD NICOISE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place potatoes on sheet. Drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Roast for 15 minutes. Add tomatoes to potatoes on baking sheet; toss. Cook until potatoes are tender and tomatoes are lightly browned and soft, about 10 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, toss arugula with 2 tablespoons vinaigrette. Arrange roasted vegetables, arugula, tuna, and olives on platter; drizzle with remaining vinaigrette. Serve.

SALADE NIçOISE

Steps:

• Whisk first 4 ingredients in small bowl to blend. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.
• Arrange bed of lettuce on large platter. Top decoratively with remaining ingredients. Drizzle enough dressing over to moisten. Serve, passing remaining dressing separately.

TUNA NIçOISE SALAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Toss the potatoes with 2 tsp oil and some seasoning. Tip onto a large baking tray, then roast for 20 mins, stirring halfway, until crisp, golden and cooked through.
• Meanwhile, put eggs in a small pan of water, bring to the boil, then simmer for 8-10 mins, depending on how you like them cooked. Plunge into a bowl of cold water to cool for a few mins. Peel away the shells, then cut into halves.
• In a large salad bowl, whisk together the remaining oil, red wine vinegar, capers and chopped tomatoes. Season, tip in the onion, spinach, tuna and potatoes, then gently toss together. Top with the eggs, then serve straight away.