Nicoise Salad

INGREDIENTS:

Makes 4 servings

Potato Salad:

• 2 lbs. Washington red fingerling or Ozette fingerling potatoes
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup canola oil
• 2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 shallot, minced
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Dash cracked black pepper
• ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Lemon Pepper Vinaigrette:

• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup canola oil

Salad:

• 2 tomatoes, stemmed and cut in wedges
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh basil
• ½ lb. haricots verts (French green beans), blanched
• 12 pitted Nicoise olives
• 1 bunch watercress
• 4 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and quartered

Tuna:

• 4 (5 to 6 ounce) portions Ahi tuna
• 2 teaspoons lemon pepper
• Salt

DIRECTIONS

Prepare potato salad.  Cover and chill until ready to serve.  Prepare Lemon Vinaigrette and set aside until ready to serve.  Plate salad.  Prepare tuna.

Potato Salad:
Scrub potatoes with a vegetable brush under cold running water.  Cut crosswise into 1-inch coins.  Place potatoes in medium saucepan and add water to cover.  Heat to boiling, then reduce heat, cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 5 to 10 minutes.  Drain potatoes and set aside.  In large bowl, whisk together olive and canola oils, vinegars, mustard, shallots, herbs, salt and pepper and Worcestershire sauce.  Add to potatoes and toss gently to mix.  Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Lemon Pepper Vinaigrette:
Place all ingredients except oils in blender and blend to mix.  With motor running, gradually add oils until incorporated.

To plate salads:
Toss watercress with lemon Pepper Vinaigrette.  On each of 4 large plates, arrange ½ a tomato, 1 egg, ¼ of the haricots verts, ¼ of the olives, ¼ of the dressed watercress and ¼ of the potato salad.

Tuna:
Sprinkle tuna pieces with lemon pepper seasoning and salad.  In large skillet over high heat, heat the 1 tablespoon olive oil.  Add tuna and sear no more than 1 minute on each side.  Slice against the grain into ¼-inch slices and arrange on prepared plates.

Nutritional Analysis per serving:  1205 calories, 45 g protein, 49 g carbohydrates, 93 g fat (69% of calories from fat), 274 mg cholesterol, 9 g fiber, 1052 mg sodium

Washington State Potatoes