As the summer evenings draw to a close, treat the family to a warm, colourful tuna nicoise salad. Use as many or all of the ingredients listed below.  The tuna, eggs, potatoes and lettuce are the real necessities.  Everything else just makes it extra tasty!

Feeds 2 adults and a little one:

• 8 baby potatoes
• 1 handful of green beans
• 2-3 eggs
• 1 head romaine lettuce chopped in thick slices, washed and dried
• 2 tomatoes (red and yellow) cut in chunks
• 12 black olives
• 1 radish sliced thinly
• 1 tbsp of capers or caperberries
• 4 anchovies
• 1 large tuna steak divided into three

Dressing

• 1/2 clove garlic (chopped or crushed finely)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• salt & pepper to taste

Method

Boil the baby potatoes until cooked through. Allow to cool slightly then chop into wedges. Blanch the green beans for 2 minutes then rinse in cold water.

For hard-boiled eggs that are still a little soft inside, bring the water to a rolling boil, add the eggs and simmer for 7 minutes, then douse in cold water to stop them from cooking.  Slice into halves.

Add all the ingredients apart from the tuna and eggs into a big bowl.  Toss with a dressing made from the oil, white wine vinegar and garlic.

For a rare tuna steak, cook the tuna in a roasting hot frying pan for 1 minute on each side.  For little ones, cook the tuna thoroughly for several minutes on each side (depending on the thickness).

Serve the salad topped with the eggs and tuna.

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