Fresh Tuna Salad Nicoise

I have wanted to try and recreate this Niçoise salad since I had it last June at Buvette. Last night was the night. I have such fond memories of enjoying it with a glass of rosé, still a bit high from the excitement of seeing Hawthorne in person for the first time. I had flown to see the house and confirm our offer we had made from photos a few days before. It was such an exciting/stressful/joyous time and I only had a few hours before my flight back to Seattle, so I headed to Buvette for a little comfort food. This is a composed salad in a bowl, with tons of yummy/healthy things added. This is not from their recipe, but rather how I remembered it. Pretty darn close, pretty darn tasty. This serves 2, but ever so easy to make for many too.

In a small pot of water add 2 to 3 eggs and let water heat to boil, then turn off. Let sit for 15 minutes. You are wanting hard boiled eggs. Once done, take the eggs out to cool. Set aside.

In a large pot of boiling salted water add green beans and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. When done, take them out and place in a bowl to cool. In that same pot of boiling water, now add quartered small Yukon gold potatoes that you have peeled. Let cook for 15 minutes or until done. Also set aside to cool adding salt & pepper first.

The Vashon Thriftway so often has stellar fresh tuna. The Buvette version I am pretty sure was top of the line canned, truly, either is fine. Olive oil and salt & pepper your fresh tuna. Put in a very hot non-stick pan, cooking for 2-3 minutes a side. Once done, take out of pan and put on a plate and cover with aluminum foil to rest.

Cut a cucumber in half, scooping out the seeds and discarding them. Cut cucumber into small bite sized pieces. Cut pitted olives of your choice in half. I used Kalamata. Cut small cherry tomatoes in half and salt. I forgot a bunch of radishes I had bought the day before at the Market that I had taken out of the fridge and are currently sitting on the counter in town. Arghhh. These would have been a lovely addition too.

Make a simple vinaigrette.
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Whisk in the EVOO to the rest of the ingredients in a bowl.

In a large bowl, add half of the vinaigrette and then add mixed salad greens of your choice. Toss together. Add more dressing if needed. With the remaining, toss the potatoes with it to coat. Add the greens to 2 bowls. Add each component side by side, creating a composed salad in the bowl. Lastly, break up tuna with your hands into small pieces creating your last grouping in the bowl.

Seems like quite a few steps, but trust me, once you take your first bite, you will have forgotten the amount of work you put in.