TIP
FOR A REALLY QUICK MEAL, USE A TIN OF TUNA AND ANY EXTRA BEANS FROM SUNDAY’S ROAST.
Tuna Niçoise
Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 7 minutes Total time: 15 minutes Serve: 4 Ingredients
400 g tuna steaks 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 eggs 100 g green beans, cut into 2 cm lengths 4 handfuls mixed lettuce 250 g cherry tomatoes, halved 50 g kalamata olives, halved ½ red onion, thinly sliced 1 tablespoon baby capers 1 handful basil leaves, chopped (optional)
Dressing
½ tablespoon Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 6 tablespoons olive oil 1 garlic clove, crushed salt and pepper
Method 1. Oil the tuna steaks. Barbecue or fry on high for 1 minute each side. Set aside to rest. I prefer the tuna to be rare with a lot of red inside, but cook for longer if you like. It will continue to cook once you remove it from the heat, so don’t overdo it. 2. Boil eggs for 3 minutes until softly boiled. Drain,allow to cool, then peel and quarter. Use the same pot to blanch the beans. Cook beans for 2 minutes in boiling water. Drain and fill pot with cold water (helps to stop the beans cooking). Drain again. If you want to be really tricky, you can throw the beans in the pot with the boiling eggs and cook both at the same time. 3. Thinly slice the tuna across the grain. Arrange the lettuce, tomatoes, olives, onion, beans and tuna on a large platter. 4. o make dressing, shake ingredients in a jar until combined. Taste and adjust to your liking. Pour over salad. 5. Top with eggs, capers and chopped basil.
This is one of my favourite summer meals. As a poor student travelling in Europe, I remember sitting in a Paris sidewalk restaurant eating this dish and thinking I was in Heaven. I am not sure if it was the flavours or the ambience, but I absolutely love this salad and I hope you do too. And if you happen to have a leftover roasted garlic bulb, use that in the dressing. Magnifique! Bon appetite. 94
Peninsula Kids – Spring 2016