Salad Nicoise

Since we still had some frisee lettuce and red spring onions from a couple of CSA shares ago, and received new potatoes, green beans and eggs with our share last week, I decided that a salad nicoise was in order!  I love this dish even though it takes a little work because the flavour is outstanding and it is a complete meal!!!

SALAD NICOISE

Ingredients:

DRESSING

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon or 1 tsp dried (I used Herbs de Provence)

3 tbsp red wine vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

Salt & freshly ground pepper

SALAD

12 mini red potatoes, cut in half

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt & freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced

2 cans of tuna, drained*

1 head of leaf lettuce

Handful of green beans, trimmed and boiled until crisp tender

2 tomatoes, cut into wedges

2 hard boiled eggs, cut into wedges

1/2 cup black olives

• Preheat oven to 425F
• Whisk together Dijon, tarragon and wine vinegar.  Slowly whisk in oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Set aside.
• Toss potatoes with 1 tbsp olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.  Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and bake for 20 mins, or until tender and browned.  Remove from oven.
• Toss potatoes with 2 tbsp dressing.  Toss onions with 2 tbsp dressing.  Set aside.
• Line a large platter with lettuce.  Gently toss the beans and tomatoes with dressing.  Place potatoes, onions, green beans, tomatoes,hard boiled eggs and olives in sections on the platter.  
• Top with tuna.
• Drizzle the entire salad with the remaining dressing.
• ENJOY!!!

*You can also use a fresh tuna steak - simply brush it with 1 tbsp oil and coat with cracked pepper.  Grill on the BBQ for 2 minutes per side on high, or until it is still rare in the centre.  Remove from the grill and slice into thin slices!

  

Roasted Garlic & Dijon Potato Salad

On Saturday some of our friends came by to help build a dance floor/bar/shucking station for Greg's big 40th Birthday party that we are hosting next weekend!  All that building made everyone HUNGRY so I boiled up some of the red potatoes that we have from our Cooper's CSA Farm & Maze CSA box and whipped up this easy potato salad that came from "Inspired", which is the free magazine given to you at Sobey's or anywhere that sells 'Our Compliments' products!  The best part is that all the ingredients were right in my fridge ~ I love that!

ROASTED GARLIC & DIJON POTATO SALAD

Ingredients:

2lb red potatoes, skins on and scrubbed

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup whole grain Dijon prepared mustard

1 tbsp roasted garlic, made into a paste*

1 tbsp capers, drained of juice

2 tbsp sundried tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped

4 stalks of celery, finely diced

Salt and black pepper, to taste

2 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh dill (or 1 tbsp dried)

• In a large saucepan, simmer potatoes in salted water over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on size.  They should be fork tender, do not overcook.  Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
• Cut potatoes into 1" cubes and, while hot, add mayonnaise, mustard garlic paste, capers and sundried tomatoes.  Mix gently to combine without breaking potatoes up too much. (I premixed the dressing and then turned it in to the celery, potatoes and sundried tomatoes.)
• Add salt and pepper, and dill.  Toss until just combined.  Can be served warm, or refrigerate and serve within 12 hours!
• ENJOY!

*I tend to take 4 to 5 heads of garlic, cut off the top 1/3 of the bulb, wrap them all in tin foil and place into a 350F oven for 45 minutes to soften the garlic.  Remove from the oven and let cool enough that the garlic can be handled.  Then over a 1L mason jar, remove each clove and gently squeeze so the garlic slips out into the jar.  Once all the garlic heads are empty, cover the garlic with olive oil, place a cap on top the jar finger tight, and place in the refrigerator.  Then whenever you are making garlic bread, salad dressing or anything that requires garlic, you have it right at your fingertips...like this recipe!