Tuna nicoise is a French salad that can be served hot or cold, made with fresh or canned tuna, anchovies, roe, and vegetables such as potatoes, green beans, red onions, and tomatoes. It is typically dressed with lemon juice, Dijon mustard, olive oil, anchovy paste, and seasonings. It can be complemented with French bread and wine.
Tuna nicoise is a French main course salad that can be served hot or cold. Nicoise is French for “made in the city of Nice,” which is in France. While fresh tuna steaks can be used for the dish, some people use the canned variety instead. The ingredients for tuna nicoise vary widely depending on personal preference and where it is produced from, but this salad dish typically contains anchovies, roe, and greens.
Potatoes, green beans, red onions, and tomatoes are the most common vegetables used in this tuna salad dish. Many cooks like to use early or small potatoes. They should be cooked until tender. The green beans should also be tender, but not overcooked, so they’re still a bit crunchy and vibrant in color. The tomatoes and onions are not cooked, but left raw. Cherry tomatoes or regular sized ones that are cut into wedges can be used, while onions can be cut into very thin rings. For cold tuna nicoise, the base could be a large cold dish or a dish to which cold salad greens such as romaine lettuce can be added.
The prepared vegetables can be drizzled with a dressing of lemon juice, Dijon mustard, olive oil, anchovy paste, minced garlic, vinegar, and seasonings such as basil and thyme before placing them on the plate. Fresh herbs such as tarragon or parsley can also be used in this main course salad. Cooked tuna or canned fish, chopped hard-boiled eggs, capers and olives are then added to the dish. More dressing is usually served on the side when the tuna nicoise dish is brought to the table. This way, diners can add more dressing to the portions of their dishes as needed while enjoying the salad.
If tuna steak is used instead of the canned variety, it can be grilled or fried. Some cooks preparing tuna nicoise prefer to cook fresh fish steaks in a little stock or boullion. Poaching tuna in this way can make it very soft and tender while still keeping it firm. While the ingredients in this dish are simple, the look of them attractively arranged on a plate can also be elegant. This main course is ideal for warmer climates and can be complemented with French bread, baguettes and a pleasant wine.
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