Grilled Tuna Salad Nicoise

This week it was Debrah's turn to select the salad recipe for the group to experiment with. She posted a recipe for a Nicoise salad made with grilled tuna. Debrah posted two different dressings that you could try - we went for the classic to start.

Salad Niçoise (pronounced nee-suaz) is essentially a French composed salad with tuna, green beans, and potato. Salad Niçoise hails from Nice, on the Mediterranean Sea, though like so many foods we enjoy here of French origin, has changed a bit to adapt to our tastes. According to the Wikipedia the Niçoise salads are always made with raw vegetables and served with anchovies. Nicoise salads that are served in North America are typically served on a bed of lettuce and include cooked green beans and potatoes. In France you'll often find that the Niçoise salads there are all made with canned tuna. Depending on the establishment here, I've had them either with canned or with freshly grilled tuna.

We thought that this salad was a perfect summer meal - we grilled it all - except for the eggs and olives of course.Clean up was a snap! We both really enjoyed this salad and can't wait to try it with Debrah's Asian inspired dressing.

Grilled Tuna Salad Nicoise

2 Tuna Steaks
2 cups Green Beans or asparagus - whichever is freshest (cut in half for presentation purposes)
2 cups cooked Potatoes (sliced, diced or quartered depending upon size)
12 Olives (use your favorite, or a mixture - obviously, nicoise are the classic)
1 Orange or yellow pepper
2 Green Onions
1 cup Grape or Cherry Tomatoes
1 hard boiled egg (if following classic recipe)
*Optional: spring baby carrots or radishes - scrubbed served whole

Dressing: (should be made up prior to cooking veggies)

Classic: (put all ingredients into a jar, cover and shake)
1/4 cup Red wine vinegar
2 small or one large shallot (minced finely)
4 T. olive oil (or toasted walnut or hazelnut oil)
½ t. anchovy paste (optional)
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 t. whole grain mustard
pinch of thyme

Asian: (put all ingredients into a jar, cover and shake)
1/4 cup Rice Vinegar
4 T Sesame Oil
Garlic - 2 cloves crushed
Ginger - about 1 tablespoon grated
4 T olive oil

Steam or parboil green beans or asparagus until just tender crisp. Put into ice water to stop cooking process.

Cook small potatoes (fingerlings are an idea) whole. Let cool, cut into shape you desire and pour a small amount of dressing on and chill. I roast or grill the peppers and tomatoes (with a small amount of either dressing tossed on) I like to cook the tomatoes until they release their juice and caramelize a bit. (If you are using really fresh flavourful tomatoes, you don’t need to bother!)

Put tuna steaks on the grill, brush with dressing and cook to your preference.

Plating: I like to present it is a composed salad - so each ingredient is given it’s own space on the plate, including the Tuna. Arrange the two plates, dividing up the vegetables, drizzle with dressing and serve.

*Clearly, you can use any vegetable you desire to finish up your plating. I think that tiny carrots whole and whole radishes add impact and more nutrients to the meal.

Comments

[Amy]

Jerry, I've never grilled green beans. I assume you use some sort of a wire or metal top over the grill?

[Jerry]

Amy - I just put them right on the grill grate. I've done them on a smaller grill pan before but was lazy. None of them slipped through (I laid the beans in the opposite direction of the metal of the grate).

[Cindy Ruth]

As always, I love reading about the history of a recipe. Your salad looks great, and I love the idea of grilling all of the veggies.

[Palma]

So far, I have managed to eat every salad, and still avoid beans, tomatoes and cilantro! Yours looks pretty!

[María I.]

I also grilled everything but on the stove top - it was 98 degrees outside!

Thanks for the story behind the dish.

[Marcia]

It was not as hot at our house, but I did oven roast the veggies and pan sear the tuna - worked pretty well, too.

[Jerry]

It sude made for easy dish washing Cindy! *smile*

You've done well Palma. How did you eat the bean salad and avoind beans? Curious mids wish to know . . .

98 degress is perfect grilling weather - I hate to turn on the stove in warm weather. I bet our air conditioning is whimpy compared to yours . . .

One of these days I'll need to get a grill pan so I can grill things on the stove like you Marcia.

[Eat Smart Age Smart]

Salad is considered as one of the best healthy diet.
I do actually eat two salads a day - well, almost every day. Thanks for sharing a variety of salads preparation. Now I can at least have different salad in rotation.

[Jerry]

I hope that you enjoy it eat smart.