Living Tastefully
  • Home
  • PAINTINGS
  • About
  • Passions-to-Pastry Blog
  • Contact
  • Recipes

I've got beans!

7/13/2015

1 Comment

 


Picture
Picture

     I cannot let a summer pass without making a big Salade Nicoise at least once.  The timing of a Salade Nicoise depends on just one thing... whether or not my green beans are ready.  WELL... they're ready!
     I plant two beans each spring.  One is a bush, French Haricot Verts -- the thinnest of green beans -- and the bean that I use in my Salade Nicoise.  I always plant two beds from seed with their rectangular plots surrounded by 20-inch-tall bamboo fencing to keep hungry rabbits out.


Picture

     This year I planted one bed of the Haricot Verts in mid-April, followed by a second planting three weeks later.  But I've come to realize I should have waited even longer.  Both beds are going gangbusters right now.  And in addition to the Haricot Verts, the heirloom purple pole beans I planted this spring are coming on with a vengeance as well.  Needless to say... we will be eating a lot of beans this week at my house!

Picture

     Too bad these beautiful purple beans turn green once thrown into a pan of boiling water.

Picture

     This is a fantastic recipe for Salad Nicoise.  Get some really good bread and salted butter, pour yourself a glass of Provencal Rosé and enjoy a long, leisurely al fresco meal this summer!

•  Salade Nicoise
      adapted from a recipe in The New Basics Cookbook
                                         by Julee Rosso & Sheila Lukins
                                    Recipe adjusted to feed 6 to 8 people


• 16 new potatoes
• 1 pound haricot verts, trimmed, or if using regular green beans trimmed and halved lengthwise
• 6 cans (4 1/2 ounces) tuna (packed in olive oil), drained
• 8 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
• 4 tablespoons tiny capers, drained
• 7 tablespoons, plus 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 7 tablespoons, plus 1 teaspoon mild extra-virgin olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 generous tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1 cloves minced garlic
• Coarse (kosher) salt, to taste
• 4 cups grape tomatoes, halved
• 4 tablespoons parsley, chopped
• 8 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved
• 1/2 cup Nicoise olives

1.  Preheat oven to 350˚ F.
2.  Prick the potatoes with the tines of a fork, and place them in a baking dish.  Bake for 1 hour, or until tender.  Set aside to cool.
3.  Bring a saucepan of water to a boil and add the beans.  Simmer until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes.  Drain.  Wrap in a dish towel and set aside.
4.  Place the tuna in a mixing bowl, and break it into large chunks.  Add the red onion, capers, 4 tablespoons of the lemon juice, 1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon of the olive oil, and pepper.  Toss gently until well-combined and set aside.
5.  Cut the cooked potatoes into 1/4-inch-thick slices, and place them in a mixing bowl.  Add 4 tablespoons of the olive oil, 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice, rosemary, garlic, pepper, and coarse salt.  Toss to combine, and set aside.
6.  Place the halved grape tomatoes in a bowl.  Sprinkle with pepper, coarse salt, and the parsley.
7.  Just before you are ready to serve, toss the beans with the remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 2 teaspoons olive oil.  Season with coarse salt.
8.  Arrange tomatoes, tuna, potatoes, and green beans on a large platter.  Place hard boiled eggs throughout and toss Nicoise olives over the top. 






TAKE a LOOK:




1 Comment
stacey snacks link
7/12/2015 11:15:44 pm

My favorite salade! I had it with sardines (instead of tuna) and local yellow beans last night in a restaurant! Divine!

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture




    Picture
    Picture
    Enter your Email

    Preview | Powered by FeedBlitz






    Categories

    All
    Amana
    Appetizers
    Beef
    Breads
    Breakfast
    Cakes
    Chocolate
    Condiments
    Cookies
    Daring Bakers Challenge
    Desserts And Sweets
    Drinks
    Eggs
    Espresso
    Etcetera
    Fish
    French Bulldogs
    Friday Night Dinner
    Fruit
    Germany
    Gratins
    Great Kitchens
    Grilling
    Ice Cream
    Lamb
    Main Dishes
    Muffins
    My Garden
    My Kitchen Renovation
    New Years Day Brunch
    Paris
    Pasta
    Pork
    Poultry
    Provence
    Restaurants
    Rhubarb
    Rice
    Salads
    Scones
    Seafood
    Side Dish
    Soup
    Sunday Mornings
    Sweet And Savory Tarts
    Thanksgiving
    Tomatoes
    Vegetables
    Vegetarian

  • Home
  • PAINTINGS
  • About
  • Passions-to-Pastry Blog
  • Contact
  • Recipes