One of my all-time favourite salads has to be the venerable Nicoise Salad. This beautifully composed French salad is what springs to my mind when new potatoes come into season.

While this salad must have tuna (canned or fresh), boiled eggs, nicoise olives, green beans and new potatoes to be worthy of the name Nicoise, I tend to go “off book” and include other things like marinated mushrooms or crispy bacon for added depth and flavour.

Anyway you dice it, this salad that eats like a meal- perfect warm summertime fare.

This is Julia Child’s classic recipe…

Ingredients
1 large head Boston-lettuce leaves, washed and dried
1 pound green beans, cooked and refreshed
1-1/2 tablespoons minced shallots
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 or 4 ripe red tomatoes, cut into wedges (or 10 to 12 cherry tomatoes, halved)
3 or 4 “boiling” potatoes, peeled, sliced, and cooked
Two 3-ounce cans chunk tuna, preferably oil-packed
6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved
1 freshly opened can of flat anchovy fillets
1/3 cup small black Niçoise-type olives
2 to 3 tablespoons capers
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Vinaigrette
1/2 tablespoon finely minced shallot or scallion
1/2 tablespoon Dijon-type mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon wine vinegar
1/3 to 1/2 cup excellent olive oil, or other fine, fresh oil
Freshly ground pepper