Apparently (according to Mr Google) the origins of the Nicoise salad are a topic of hot debate, but one thing is for sure. It's quick, easy, inexpensive and tasty.
If you boil your eggs ahead of time, like I do, you can assemble this in under five minutes.
You'll need:
For one serving
1 hard boiled egg, quartered
1 Roma tomato, quartered
5 seeded Kalamata olives, halved
A handful of beans, topped, tailed and halved, and thrown into boiling water to blanch for about two minutes. Dunk them in cold water to stop the cooking process, and maintain the vivid colour.
1/2-1 tin tuna, slices preferred, but chunks are fine (I like the one in chilli oil)
Squeeze of lemon juice + seasoning
Then just:
Drain the beans well and use them as the base for the salad.
Top them with the other ingredients in no particular order and dress with lemon juice and seasoning. You can go to the trouble of making a vinaigrette with white vinegar and oil if you want (shake 3 tbspns oil with 2 of vinegar in a jar, add salt and pepper), but I find the lemon juice does the trick.
Yum! Perfect Summer lunch.
