Salade Nicoise

Serves 6

Ingredients:

8 tiny or 3 large potatoes
1/2 pound green beans, fresh or frozen, cooked and cooled
8 Roma tomatoes or 4 large tomatoes or a handful of grape tomatoes
1 small red onion thinly sliced
1/2 cup pitted olives, any kind will do; Nicoise olives are perfect
1/4 cup chopped parsley
4 or 5 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and quartered
12 ounces solid pack tuna
2 ounces of anchovy fillets (optional)

Preparation:

If you are using large potatoes, cut them into chunks, tiny potatoes can be used whole. Put potatoes on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in a 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes or until fork tender.

When potatoes are only slightly warm (they absorb the dressing better when they are a little bit warm), put them in a bowl with the green beans, tomatoes, onion and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add about 1/2 cup of the vinaigrette and toss well.

Add the tuna which you can break into chunks with a fork, and the anchovies. Add more dressing to taste and toss again. Tuck egg quarters into the salad.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS: You can serve this salad immediately at room temperature on a bed of mixed greens with a nice chunk of buttered bread. Or you can make it ahead, refrigerate it and serve it cold in side-salad-sized servings with a cup of soup. Or you can lightly toast a chunk of baguette and fill it with the salad.

Recipe thanks to Merianne Myers.

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