Salade Nicoise

Salade Nicoise

From Great Dinners from Life

Serves 6

2 pounds potatoes, boiled and sliced (I cut into chunks)

2 cups cooked cut green beans

1 cup cooked artichoke hearts

3 cups garlic dressing (recipe below)

Salad greens

1 large onion (I used red)

3 7-oz cans of tuna, drained and broken into chunks (I didn't add)

1 pint cherry tomatoes

1 cup pitted black olives

6 hard-cooked eggs, quartered

1 large green pepper, cut in rings (I didn't add)

1/2 cup canned or bottled red pepper strips (I didn't add)

2 2-oz cans rolled anchovies with capers (I definitely didn't add)

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or 1 T dried  (I forgot)

Combine the potatoes, beans, artichoke hearts and onion with the garlic dressing.  Marinate the mixture in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.  (If you don't have room it can sit on the counter for 2 hours.) Stir gently two or three times.  To serve, line a salad bowl with greens.  Drain the marinated vegetable, keeping the dressing for use later, and spoon them onto the greens.  Put the tuna in the middle of the bowl and arrange the tomatoes, olives, eggs, red and green peppers, and anchovies around it.  Sprinkle lightly with parsley.  Pass the dressing at the table or sprinkle a little onto the salad just before you serve it. 

Garlic Dressing

2 cups olive oil

1/2 cup tarragon vinegar

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 T. dry mustard

1 t. sugar

1 T. salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Combine mustard, sugar, salt and a generous amount of pepper,  Mix in garlic.  Add vinegar and lemon juice and stir thoroughly.  Add oil and mix well.  (tip:  whisk while slowly pouring in the oil) Stir or shake vigorously just before using.  Makes about 3 cups.