Nicoise Salad with Seared Tuna
A proper salade nicoise is arranged, not tossed, so each element keeps its place and texture. Searing fresh tuna rather than reaching for the tin lifts it into something worth a chilled glass of rose. Everything can be prepped ahead and assembled in minutes, which makes it ideal for a warm evening with friends.
Ingredients
- 400g fresh tuna steak
- 300g baby potatoes
- 200g green beans, trimmed
- 4 eggs
- 200g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 100g nicoise or kalamata olives
- 1 little gem lettuce, leaves separated
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Method
- Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender, about 15 minutes. In the last 4 minutes, add the green beans. Drain and cool under cold water.
- Lower the eggs into simmering water and cook 7 minutes for jammy yolks. Cool in iced water, then peel and halve.
- Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, and Dijon with salt and pepper to make a sharp dressing.
- Pat the tuna dry, season, and sear in a hot pan for 90 seconds per side so it stays pink inside. Rest, then slice thickly.
- Arrange the lettuce, potatoes, beans, tomatoes, eggs, and olives on a large platter. Lay the tuna on top, spoon over the dressing, and serve.