Name: Mustard Nicoise Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1/4 cup grainy brown mustard; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon sugar; 1/4 cup olive oil; 1/2 pound baby potatoes, scrubbed and halved; 2 peeled and smashed garlic cloves; 2 tablespoons butter; 5 ounces tuna, drained; 1 tablespoon capers, chopped; 1/2 teaspoon dried dill; 2 tablespoons mayonnaise; 6 ounce thin green beans; salt; 2 tablespoons white vinegar, divided; 1 shallot; 1 tablespoon honey; 8 cups salad greens (I like chopped romaine or something crunchy)

Description

One mustard base used in tuna, haricots vert, and potatoes make a delicious main dish salad.

Ingredients

Scale

Mustard Base

1/4 cup grainy brown mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup olive oil

Salad

1/2 pound baby potatoes, scrubbed and halved
2 peeled and smashed garlic cloves
2 tablespoons butter
5 ounces tuna, drained
1 tablespoon capers, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
6 ounce thin green beans
salt
2 tablespoons white vinegar, divided
1 shallot
1 tablespoon honey
8 cups salad greens (I like chopped romaine or something crunchy)

Instructions

Whisk together the ingredients for the mustard base.
Place the potatoes and garlic cloves in a small pot and cover with water by about 3 inches. Salt the water, and bring to a boil. Boil the potatoes for 10-15 minutes until fork tender.
Drain the potatoes. Discard the garlic cloves. In a bowl, toss the hot potatoes with the butter and two tablespoons of the mustard base. Taste, and add salt and pepper until very flavor.
In a separate bowl, combine the tuna, capers, dill, and mayonnaise with one tablespoon of the mustard base. Taste for seasoning.
Bring two or so inches of salted water to a boil (in the same pot as you used for the potatoes saves a dish!). Boil the green beans for one minute, then drain and transfer to a bowl. Toss the green beans with one tablespoon of the mustard base, one tablespoon of the vinegar, and a few pinches of salt.
Mince half of the shallot and slice the other half.
Whisk the rest of the mustard base with the minced shallot, 1 tablespoon of the vinegar, the honey, and a few pinches of salt. If the dressing seems too thick, add water a teaspoon at a time to thin it out.
Build salads with mounds of crunchy lettuce, buttery potatoes, briny tuna salad, and tangy green beans. Drizzle with the dressing and top with the sliced shallots.

Notes

I start the potatoes to boil FIRST, then work on the tuna and other salad components while the potatoes boil. Then I boil the green beans in the same pot, and can get this salad done in about 45 minutes, sometimes less if I'm super on the ball. It's worth it!

Keywords: tuna, nicoise, french, salad, seafood