Salad Nicoise

By caligma

This Salad can be served with freshly grilled tuna, salmon or halibut. But the traditional way is with canned tuna.
Use a high quality tuna, water packed, drained, flaked and drizzled with a little of the vinaigrette.

Ingredients

• Salad
• 1 1/2 cups slender green beans (haricots verts), stem ends
• trimmed
• 6 small Yukon gold potatoes
• 9 cups mixed baby greens
• Jacques Pepin Vinaigrette dressing
• 3/4 to 1/4 by 2 inch julienne green bell pepper
• 3/4 cup 1/4 by 2 inch julienne red bell pepper
• 3/4 cup 1/4 by 2 inch julienne yellow bell pepper
• 3 medium tomatoes, each cut into 6 wedges
• 1/3 cup pitted Kalamata Olives, cut in half lengthwise
• 3 hard boiled eggs, cut into 6 wedges
• 12 about 12 shallot rings, about 1/8 inch thick
• Tuna
• Canola oil
• 6 tuna fillets, preferably center cut, 6 ounces each
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Fleur de sel
• Vinaigrette
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• Kosher Salt
• 1/2 cup olive oil plus 1 Tablespoon
• Freshly ground pepper.
• Pour the vinegar into a small bowl and add a generous pinch of salt. Let sit for about 5 minutes, to allow the salt to begin to dissolve. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

Salad: Bring a large pot of salted water, to a boil over high heat. Fill a large bowl with ice water and place near the stove.

Drop beans into the boiling water and cook just until tender, about 4 minutes. Drain immediately and plunge into the ice water. Allow to cool completely and then drain onto paper towels. Split each bean lengthwise and set aside.
Meanwhile in a medium saucepan, combine the potatoes with salted water to cover by at least 1 inch and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Adjust the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until tender when pierced with a knife, about 20 minutes. Drain into a colander, and leave to dry while you prepare the tuna.

For the Tuna: Prepare a medium hot fire in a charcoal or gas grill, or preheat a two burner grill pan over medium high heat. Oil the grill rack or grill pan with canola oil. Lightly oil the tuna on both sides and then season on both sides with salt and pepper. Place tuna on the trill and sear for 45 seconds to 1 minute. rotate the tuna 90 degrees to create a crosshatch of grill marks. Grill for an additional 45 seconds to 1 minute. Tuna should be rare. Transfer to cutting board and lightly blot with paper towels.

To finish the salad: Place the greens in a large bowl and toss with enough of the Vinaigrette to coat lightly. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Divide among individual swerving bowels.

Place all the peppers in the same large bowl and toss with the dressing. Arrange peppers on the greens.
Cut each potato into 4 to 6 wedges and place the potatoes, green beans in the same large bowl and lightly coat with dressing.
Arrange these on the greens.
Place the tomatoes in large bowl and toss lightly with dressing...Arrange the remaining veggies on the greens.

Cut each piece of fish in half and overlap the halves on top of the salad..Sprinkle with Fleur de Sel
Arrange the olives, eggs and shallot rings around the bowl.