Salad Nicoise with Grilled Tuna

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Ingredients

Tuna

1. 2 tuna steaks (8 ozeach), about 3/4 inch thick
2. 2 Tolive oil
3. salt to taste
4. black pepper to taste

Vinaigrette

5. 1/2 c lemon juice from 2 or 3 lemons
6. 3/4 c extra virgin olive oil
7. 1 medium shallot, minced (about 3 T)
8. 1 T minced fresh thyme leaves
9. 2 Tminced fresh basil leaves
10. 2 t minced fresh oregano leaves
11. 1 t Dijon mustard
12. salt to taste

Salad

13. 4 eggs
14. 10 small new red potatoes (each about 2 inc in diameter, about 1 1/4 pounds total), each potato scrubbed and quartered
15. salt to taste
16. black pepper to taste
17. 2 T dry vermouth
18. 2 medium heads Boston lettuce or Bibb lettuce, leaves washed, dried, and torn into bite-sized pieces (about 8 cups loosely packed)
19. 3 small vine-ripened tomatoes (about 14 oz), each cored and cut into eighths
20. 1 small red onion (about 4 oz), sliced very thin
21. 8 oz green beans, stem ends trimmed and each bean halved crosswise
22. 1/4 c niçoise olives

10 - 12 anchovy fillets (optional)

2 T capers, rinsed (optional)

Instructions

Tuna

Combine tuna steaks with 2 tablespoons olive oil in gallon-sized zipper-lock bag; seal bag, place in refrigerator, and marinate, turning several times, for at least one hour or overnight.

1. Remove tuna from bag, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, and set aside.
2. Preheat grill to high.
3. Heat cooking grate thoroughly, scrape clean with wire brush, and wipe with small wad paper towels dipped in vegetable oil (hold wad with tongs).
4. Grill tuna uncovered, turning once with thin metal spatula, to desired doneness, about 3 minutes total for rare and 4 minutes for well-done.

Vinaigrette

1. Whisk lemon juice, oil, shallot, thyme, basil, oregano, and mustard in medium bowl; season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.

Salad

1. Place eggs in small saucepan, cover by 1 inch with cold water, and bring to boil over high heat.
2. Remove pan from heat, cover, and let stand 10 minutes.

#Meanwhile, fill medium bowl with 1 quart water and 1 tray ice cubes.

1. With slotted spoon, transfer eggs to ice water; let stand 5 minutes.
2. Peel eggs and quarter lengthwise; set aside (reserve ice water).
3. Meanwhile, bring potatoes and 4 quarts cold water to boil in large Dutch oven or stockpot over high heat.
4. Add 1 tablespoon salt and cook until potatoes are tender when poked with paring knife, 5 to 8 minutes.
5. With slotted spoon, gently transfer potatoes to medium bowl (do not discard boiling water).
6. Toss warm potatoes with vermouth and salt and pepper to taste; let stand 1 minute.
7. Toss in 1/4 cup vinaigrette; set aside.
8. While potatoes cook, toss lettuce with 1/4 cup vinaigrette in large bowl until coated.
9. Arrange bed of lettuce on very large, flat serving platter.

#Cut tuna into 1/2-inch thick slices and place in now-empty bowl.

1. Add 1/2 cup vinaigrette and stir to combine; mound tuna in center of lettuce
2. Toss tomatoes, red onion, 3 tablespoons vinaigrette, and salt and pepper to taste in now-empty bowl; arrange tomato onion mixture in mound at edge of lettuce bed.
3. Arrange reserved potatoes in separate mound at edge of lettuce bed.
4. Return water to boil; add 1 tablespoon salt and green beans.
5. Cook until tender but crisp, 3 to 5 minutes.
6. Drain beans, transfer to reserved ice water, and let stand until just cool, about 30 seconds; dry beans well on triple layer of paper towels.
7. Toss neans, 3 tablespoons vinaigrette, and salt and pepper to taste in now-empty bowl; arrange in separate mound at edge of lettuce bed.
8. Arrange reserved eggs, olives, and anchovies (if using) in separate mounds at edge of lettuce bed.
9. Drizzle eggs with remaining 2 tablespoons dressing, sprinkle entire salad with capers (if using), and serve immediately.

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