Salad Nicoise

A healthy summer salad from Kathryn

Although this famous dish is labelled as a salad, I see it much more as a meal, especially if you use tuna steaks as opposed to tinned tuna. It is wonderfully filling, and you have little bursts of flavour coming from the many exquisite ingredients which this recipe calls for.

I am a die-hard fan of anchovies! If you are not, I urge you to to try out the fresh white anchovies which are available from the deli or olive counters at most good supermarkets. They are a world apart from the overly salty grainy types you get in a jar and the flavour is intrinsically sweeter, not to mention more delicate. In honor of the summertime being upon us, I have opted for some particularly colourful leaves, in the form of chard, with it’s almost luminous yellow and pink stalks. The flavour is reminiscent of a very delicate beetroot which adds another dimension to this dish. Instead of cherry tomatoes, I have chosen some deliciously juicy sun blushed tomatoes, which burst into sweet, electric tomatoey flavour when bitten. The eggs delectably oozy yolk acts almost as a light sauce for this dish. Cooking tuna steaks couldn't be easier. People have a fear of overcooking them, but rest assured in the knowledge that you cook them for 1.5 to 2 minutes on each side. They are better on the rare side, so enjoy the fact that these beauties take little to no time to prepare. If you are opting for tinned tuna, go for a good quality variety. As always, if you are catering for a group of people, and unsure of a recipe to cook, this is another great option. Scale it up, prepare it all beforehand and display on a beautiful big plate. Your guests will be wowed, and you don't have to worry about breaking any rules! Ingredients (serves 1) 100g piece of fresh tuna steak 4-5 sun blush tomatoes 100g of small baby potatoes, cooked until soft 50g of fine beans 5-7 olives (of your choice) 1 egg Handful of chard*, washed and sliced into thick shreds. *if you can’t get your hands on chard, iceberg or cos lettuce would be lovely, or even a mix of all different leaves Dressing: 1 1/2 tbsp of olive oil. Juice of half a lemon. Pinch of salt, pepper and sugar. Small bunch of finely chopped parsley. Method 1.      Boil the potatoes in salted water until soft, set aside. 2.      Steam the fine beans for 5-7 minutes, set aside. 3.      Place the egg into some already boiling water and boil for 5 minutes. After five minutes transfer directly into cold water. 4.      Make your dressing: Put all ingredients in a jar and shake well. 5.      Put a chargrill on a high heat. Drizzle some olive oil on your tuna steak. When the pan is very hot, cook for 1.5 to 2 minutes on each side. Remove completely from the heat when ready. 6.      Slice the potatoes in half. 7.      With the back of a spoon, gently crack the egg shell, and remove from the egg. Slice the egg into 4. 8.      Put the sliced potatoes, olives and chard in a bowl and thoroughly coat with the dressing. 9.      Present on a plate, adding the tomatoes, anchovies, eggs and tuna steak. Enjoy!