Salade Nicoise with Poached Tuna

CSA Box- Potatoes, Onion, tomatoes, green beans, shallots, garlic, basil




This recipe is adapted from one in Cook's Illustrated Magazine. They used grilled tuna so feel free to cook yours that way if you prefer. Any olive oil left from the poaching can be strained and then used in salads or to make mayo or aioli.


Have everything ready before you start cooking. Although there are alot of components, this will be a quick, easy, delicious dinner. Compose the salad on a large platter. If you need to borrow one you know who to call.

2 dinner servings plus a lunch

Tuna

2 small tuna steaks (4 ounces each), about 3/4 inch thick

3/4 cup olive oil

3 cloves garlic ( we used garlic from garlic confit)


Vinaigrette

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice ( 1- 1 1/2 lemons)

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1small shallot, minced (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)

2 tablespoons minced fresh basil leaves

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper


Salad

1 poached egg, optional (or a boiled egg)

5 small new red potatoes (each about 2 inches in diameter) each potato scrubbed and quartered

Sea salt and ground black pepper

2 tablespoons white wine

1small head Boston lettuce or Bibb lettuce, leaves washed, dried, and torn into bite-sized pieces

2 small tomatoes, each cored and cut into eighths

1/2 small red onion (about 4 ounces), sliced very thin

4 ounces green beans, stem ends trimmed

1/4 cup niçoise olives

1 tablespoons capers , rinsed (optional)





1. For the tuna: Heat the olive oil and garlic cloves, in a pan that is just large enough to hold the tuna, to about 150 degrees. Add the tuna steaks to the oil and poach for about 10 minutes, or until tuna is cooked through. Remove from oil and season with Salt and pepper. set aside to cool.

2. For the vinaigrette: Whisk lemon juice, oil, shallot, basil, and mustard in medium bowl; season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.

3. Bring potatoes and 2 quarts cold water to boil in large pan over high heat. Add 1/2 tablespoon salt and cook until potatoes are tender when poked with paring knife, 5 to 8 minutes. With slotted spoon, gently transfer potatoes to medium bowl (do not discard boiling water). Toss warm potatoes with the white wine and salt and pepper to taste; let stand 1 minute. Toss in 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette; set aside.

5. While potatoes cook, arrange bed of lettuce on very large, flat serving platter. Chunk the tuna and place in a mound on the lettuce. Toss tomatoes, onion, 1 tablespoon vinaigrette, and salt and pepper in a small bowl; arrange tomato-onion mixture in mound at edge of lettuce bed. Arrange reserved potatoes in separate mound at edge of lettuce bed.

6. Return water to boil; add 1 tsp. salt and green beans. Cook until tender but crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain beans, run under cold water to stop cooking, and let stand until just cool, about 30 seconds; dry beans well on paper towels. Toss beans, 1 tablespoon vinaigrette, and salt and pepper to taste in now-empty bowl; arrange in separate mound at edge of lettuce bed.

7. Arrange poached egg and olives on salad Drizzle salad with any remaining dressing, sprinkle entire salad with capers (if using), and serve immediately.