Healthy and Light: Salade Nicoise

There are different ways to make this salad. You can leave out the green pepper and add add boiled potato pieces or you can add lettuce to the green beans. It is best with seared fresh tuna but you can also use canned tuna fish.

2 t mustard Dijon mustard
2 T wine vinegar
1 1/22 t salt
1 or 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
6 T vegetable or peanut oil
6 T olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
1 t chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 t dried
2 lbs. green beans
1 green pepper
4 ribs celery
1 pint cherry tomatoes
5 medium-size red-skinned potatoes, cooked, peeled and sliced
3 7 oz. cans tuna or 1 lb. fresh tuna steak - seared/sliced
1 2 oz. can flat anchovies (optional)
10 stuffed olives
10 black olives, imported Greek or Italian
2 small or 1 large red onion (Bermuda)
2 T chopped fresh basil or 1 t dried
1/3 C finely chopped fresh parsely
1/4 C finely chopped green onions
6 hard-cooked eggs, quartered

In a mixing bolw combine the mustard, vinegar, salt, garlic, peanut and olive oil, pepper and thyme. Beat with a fork until well blended. Set aside.

Pick over the beans and break into 1 and 1/2 inche lengths. Place them in a saucepan and cook them in salted water to cover until tender but crisp. Drain and run under cold water. Drain in colander. Set aside.

Remove the cores from green pepper. Remove seeds and white part. Cut the peppers into thin rounds. Sest aside.

Trim the celery ribs. Cut the ribs crosswise into thin slices. There should be 2 cups of celery. Set aside.

Bring a quart of water to a boil. Drop in the cherry tomatoes and let stand for exactly 15 seconds. Drain immediately. Using a paring knife, pull off the tomato skins. Set aside.

Use a large salad bowl and make a symmetrical pattern with the green beans. Placing the pepper and tomatoes on top. Pour half the blended dressing from mixing bowl over
the beans and tomatoes. Add olives, pepper and onions. Top salad with tuna and cooked egg quarters and pour remaining dressing on top.