The Best Salad Nicoise With A Twist

Salad Nicoise is a favourite of ours.
Perfect for boat food.
Canned Tuna, black olives, red onions, green beans, Boiled eggs, Tomatoes Potatoes, a few Capers and some chopped herbs
All dressed with a tasty French Dressing

All of the food groups just about and it's so fresh and clean
This  particular version is outstanding


And the beauty of it is you can prep early in the day.
I assembled about an hour before.
All ready, sit down have some drinks
Off to the table and serve.

Anna Gare, is best known as a Judge on Junior Masterchef Australia
Also she is in a programme called "The Best in Australia".
It has all the right ingredients, but treated differently
The tomatoes are roasted for the extra flavour.
The red onions Caramelized.
There is mayonnaise on the potatoes and eggs...I would normally use French Dressing
I also used my marinated olives to scatter over the top
And beautiful fresh Seared Tuna, drizzled with a Nicoise style salsa
Perfecto
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 x 120g tuna steaks
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil


1 egg per person, hard boiled, peeled and quartered


500 g kipfler potatoes boiled
Little French dressing



200 g stringless green beans


4 large Ripe tomatoes quartered
Sea salt
Little sugar
Olive oil
Fresh thyme


Caramelised Onions
2 purple Onions finely sliced
11/2 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Sugar
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Sea salt and pepper

Mayonnaise
2 Cloves roasted Garlic finely chopped ( I used raw garlic)
2 Anchovies finely chopped
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
¾ cup Olive Oil

Salsa
1 tablespoon baby capers
1 tablespoon Italian Parsley chopped
1 small Tomato deseeded and finely diced
4 Anchovies finely chopped
1 part of Lemon juice
2 parts of Olive Oil
Salt and Sugar to taste

As many Black Olives as you like

Method

Place tomatoes onto baking sheet and sprinkle with salt & thyme and slow bake for 45 mins in 120 deg oven. This will intensify the flavour.
Put aside.

Cook potatoes whole in a pot of salted water and blanch beans in the same pot towards the end.
When cooled cut potatoes & beans as desired.

Caramelize onions by putting olive oil, sugar, salt, red wine vinegar and onions all into a pot and cook on medium-low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until onions are just cooked through- they should be soft and shiny.

Make dressing by combining yolks, lemon juice, anchovies, garlic & mustard.
Whilst whisking, slowly drizzle in oil.
I did it in the food processor

Lightly brush Tuna with oil salt & pepper then sear on high heat, 2 minutes per side.
Don't overcook it. As it rests it continues to cook.

For Salsa, mix all ingredients together and taste for seasoning and citrus factor.

Dress potatoes & eggs with some mayonnaise 

Place on desired platter
Then add in layers, first onions, beans, then tomatoes.

Just before serving, sear tuna and place on top, then drizzle over with Nicoise Salsa.
Throw olives over the top

Because this was so healthy, I then served this superb apple pie from Nigel Slater.

Check out the recipe here
Beautiful crisp cheesy pastry.
A little Creme Fraiche on the top
Yumo