French-Inspired Salad Nicoise

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Photo Credits: yallabreak.com

INGREDIENTS

  • 8   ounces fresh green beans (2 cups)
  • 12   ounces tiny new potatoes, scrubbed and sliced (2 medium)
  • 1   Nicoise Dressing or 1/2 cup bottled balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing
  • Boston or Bibb lettuce leaves
  • 1 1/2  cups flaked cooked tuna or salmon (8 ounces) or one 9-1/4-ounce can chunk white tuna (water-pack), drained and broken into chunks
  • 2   medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
  • 2   Hard-Cooked Eggs, sliced
  • 1/2  cup pitted ripe olives (optional)
  • 1/4  cup thinly sliced green onions (2)
  • 4   anchovy fillets, drained, rinsed, and patted dry (optional)
  • Fresh tarragon (optional)

Nicoise Dressing:

  • 1/4  cup olive or salad oil
  • 1/4  cup white wine vinegar or white vinegar
  • 1   teaspoon honey
  • 1   teaspoon snipped fresh tarragon or 1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon, crushed
  • 1   teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
  • 1/4  teaspoon salt
  • dash black pepper

DIRECTIONS

  1. Wash green beans; remove ends and strings. In a large saucepan cook green beans and potatoes, covered, in a small amount of lightly salted boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes or just until tender. Drain; place vegetables in a medium bowl. Cover and chill for 2 to 24 hours.
  2. Prepare Nicoise Dressing. To serve, line 4 salad plates with lettuce leaves.
  3. Arrange chilled vegetables, tuna, tomatoes, eggs, and olives (if desired) on the lettuce-lined plates.
  4. Sprinkle each serving with green onions. If desired, top each salad with an anchovy fillet and garnish with tarragon.
  5. Shake dressing; drizzle over each salad. Makes 4 main-dish servings.

Credits to: exquisitegourmetservice.com