Salade Nicoise

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Serves 2 as a main course

If you boil the eggs for only 5 or 6 minutes, then cool them in cold water to stop them cooking, they should remain nice and soft inside and not develop grey rings.

Ingredients

• 100 g fine green beans
• 100 g wild rocket leaves
• 3 tomatoes, cut into chunks
• 1 young zucchini, finely sliced
• Handful of small black olives (Ligurian or Nicois)
• 1 tbsp tiny salted capers, rinsed
• Handful of fresh basil leaves
• 200 g can of tuna in oil, drained
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, quartered
• 4 anchovy fillets, halved lengthwise
• French Salad Dressing

Method

• Top but don’t tail the green beans and cook in simmering salted water for 4 minutes Drain, cool in cold running water, and drain again.

• Whisk the dressing ingredients in a large bowl, add a spoonful of the oil from the tuna or the anchovies, and add a good dash of water, white wine or (excellent idea) some of the tomato juices, to lighten. Pour half the dressing into a small jug.

• Toss the rocket, tomatoes, zucchini, green beans, olives, capers and basil in the dressing and strew lightly over two dinner plates.

• Tuck the tuna and quartered eggs into the salad, curl the anchovy fillets on the eggs, and drizzle the remaining dressing over the top.

taken from: http://blogs.smh.com.au/entertainment/tabletalk/jilldupleix/2009/02/05/saladenicoisethecontroversy.html