A Niçoise salad is at its very best when it is made in late summer, when tomatoes are ripe and juicy. The classic French Niçoise salad is typically made with canned tuna, but why would you go to all the effort to blanch haricots, soft-boil eggs,  assemble a French potato salad, and mix a vinaigrette to use a can of tuna? (even if it is Bumble Bee Gold Label albacore, the only kind I eat.)

Niçoise salad originated in the coastal city of Nice, located on the French Riviera. With that said, the use of amazing summer vegetables makes it a star of California Cuisine. When it comes to farm-to-table meals, this dish is a good fit and perfect for my pescatarian friends, particularly Paul Suino, who comments regularly on the copious amounts of salmon served at local restaurants. He has often been heard to say “Salmon… salmon… salmon” when perusing a menu. Luckily, he really likes this dish. It’s one of my favorite go-to dishes because of the bright colors, bold flavors, and wonderful freshness.

Ina Garten – Serves 8

Ingredients

• 8 Tuna steaks (about 4 lb). Steaks are one inch thick.
• Good olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• ¾ lb      French string beans (haricots verts), stems removed and blanched
• 1 French potato salad, recipe follows
• 2 lb Tomatoes, cut into wedges (six small tomatoes)
• 6 Hard-cooked eggs, peeled and cut in 1/2
• 1 C Kalamata olives, pitted
• 1 Arugula bunch (tails trimmed off)
• 3 Anchovy Filets (optional)

Ingredients or the vinaigrette

• 4 T Champagne vinegar
• ½ t Dijon mustard
• ½ t Kosher salt
• ¼ t Freshly ground black pepper
• 10 T good olive oil

French Potato Salad

• 1 lb Small white boiling potatoes
• 1 lb Red boiling potatoes
• 2 T Dry white wine
• 2 T Chicken stock
• 3 T Champagne vinegar
• ½ t Dijon mustard
• 2 t Kosher salt
• ¾ t Freshly ground black pepper
• 10 T Olive oil
• ¼ C Minced scallions (white and green parts)
• 2 T Minced fresh dill
• 2 T Minced flat-leaf parsley2 T Julienned fresh basil leaves

Directions for the French potato salad

• Drop the white and red potatoes into a large pot of boiling salted water and cook for 20 to 30 
• minutes, until they are just cooked through. 
• Drain in a colander and place a towel over the potatoes to allow them to steam for 10 more 
• minutes. As soon as you can handle them, cut them into 1/2 (quarters if the potatoes are larger) and place them in a medium bowl. 
• Toss gently with the wine and chicken stock. Allow the liquids to soak into the warm potatoes before proceeding. 

Directions for the vinaigrette

• Combine the vinegar, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and slowly whisk in 
• the olive oil to make an emulsion. Add the vinaigrette to the potatoes. Add the scallions, dill, 
• parsley, basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss. Serve warm or at room 
• temperature. 

Directions to cook tuna

• To grill the tuna, preheat a charcoal or stove-top cast-iron grill to very high. Brush the fish with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill each side for only 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. The center should be raw, like sushi, or the tuna will be tough and dry.

Directions to assemble salad

• Arrange the tuna, haricots verts, potato salad, tomatoes, eggs, olives, watercress, and anchovies, if used, on a large flat platter.