SESAME TUNA NICOISE SALAD
Transport yourself to Provence with this salad of your dreams!
4 servings, 30 minutes
Ingredients:
Salad:
1 lb small potatoes (red or creamer gold)
2 cups haricots verts/green beans, ends trimmed
4 large eggs
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved and quartered
10 oz Bibb or butter lettuce
1/2 cup olives
Salt
Pepper
Tuna (see below, option to use canned chunk tuna)
Dressing:
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 shallot
2 tbsp dijon mustard
Salt
Pepper
Optional: 1 tsp thyme (fresh or dried)
Tuna:
1 lb Bigeye Tuna
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp black sesame seeds
1 tbsp white sesame seeds
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil or sesame oil
Optional: garlic powder
The Blistered Peppers Take:
The Nicoise salad originated in France and was made popular in the US back in the 20’s. All I remember of it from childhood is that everyone turned their nose up at it. You saw it at the grocery store deli counter and were confused as to who’d place potatoes and string beans AND tuna in a salad?! And why was it never mixed?! And how does a person even pronounce Nicoise?! Then when I was a teenager, I went to France for the first time. I remember sitting in a little cafe in the countryside and my mom ordered a Nicoise salad. Apart from the anchovies, it was like heaven. All the veggies were crisp and you could design each bite exactly how you wanted it.
For me, there’s nothing better than a crisp haricot vert (if you don’t know them, they’re the skinnier string bean you find in the produce section) but then you top them with a great, great simple, citrus-y vinaigrette and they’re even more perfect. We all know that nothing tops a potato. But, the best part about this salad is proving the tuna haters wrong.
Canned tuna is amazing - I mean haven’t you seen the viral Joe & the Juice Tunacado? Good canned (or even jarred) tuna is such a great grocery store find. I’m partial to Ortiz. Though grab a jar of Tonnino jarred tuna and throw it on arugula with some fresh lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper and you’ve got the perfect lunch - I’m sure I’ve said this before. Anyway, back to the canned tuna. It’s a great find because all of the hard work is done and all you have to do is dress it up, as seen in my Copy Cat Jack’s Wife Freda Tuna Salad.
While I just raved about canned tuna, I would do you an injustice if I didn’t equally emphasize how good a seared Ahi or Bigeye Tuna is. While this is definitely not the ‘traditional’ route to creating a Nicoise salad, I think it elevates the dish and makes it a bit heartier if serving it at dinner. So here’s the Asian meets French twist you never knew you needed - Sesame Crusted Tuna! It’s so flavorful, looks beautiful, and tastes hearty. Coat the tuna with soy sauce before adhering the sesame seeds to the outside of the fish and you got yourself an intensely flavorful, crispy, beautiful piece of fish.
Give it a try, send me your pics, tag me on social and enjoy!
Give some more Blistered Peppers salads a try:
Copy Cat Jack’s Wife Freda Tuna Salad
Steps:
In a large pot over medium-high heat, add about ½ the pots worth of water, a pinch of salt, and the potatoes. Bring to a boil and let cook until potatoes are tender. About 10-15 minutes. Remove potatoes from the boiling water and let cool.
As the potatoes cook, trim the green beans and set aside. Once the potatoes have been removed from the boiling water, add the green beans and let boil for 3-5 minutes (should be tender but still have crisp). Remove the green beans and immediately add to a large boil filled with salted ice water - this helps maintain the beans color!
In a smaller pot, oven medium-high heat, fill with water, add the eggs, and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, turn off the heat and let the eggs cook in the hot water for about 8 minutes. Remove from water and rinse in cold water (or an ice bath).
Meanwhile, prep the tomatoes by cutting them into halves. Cut the potatoes into quarters. Set aside.
Prep the tuna: wash and dry the tuna, then coat all sides in soy sauce (see video). In a shallow plate/bowl (large enough to fit the tuna), combine the sesame seeds, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. After coating the tuna in soy sauce, coat in the sesame seed mixture making sure to press down firmly so the sesame seeds adhere to every side of the tuna.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add a bit of sesame oil or olive oil. Once the pan is very hot and oil sizzles, add the tuna. Sear on both sides for about 1-2 minutes, then use tongs to sear the edges of the tuna.
Make the dressing: using a blender or food processor, combine the vinegar, shallot or garlic, Dijon mustard, olive oil, salt & pepper to taste - option to add dried thyme or basil.
Assemble the salad: make a large bed of butter lettuce, add slices of the tuna, accouterments of choice, and drizzle with dressing.
Enjoy this French and Asian twist - it’ll be delicious!
