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Menu Plan for the week of August 23, 2013:  Tuesday's Recipes

Niçoise Pasta Salad

Cooking time:  30 minutes for menu      Cooking schedule: see below for instructions

       A traditional French Salade with a modern twist: pasta.  Best if consumed with a glass of Rosé, sitting on a terrace, gazing at the Mediterranean. If that's not possible, eat on your own terrace, as we do... Use the rest of the pepper on Thursday.

Niçoise Pasta Salad

Total time: 25 minutes 
   Traditionally (besides being served on lettuce) this should have the small, black Niçoise olives but I use the dry-cured Greek - because I didn't want to bother pitting the small ones.  Get the best canned tuna you can find.  Salade Niçoise always uses canned, never fresh.  The pasta takes the place of the potatoes.  

 Ingredients:

• 6oz (180gr) green beans
• 1/2 cup (3oz, 90gr) cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 yellow or orange bell pepper
• 9oz (270gr) canned tuna
• 2 eggs, hard cooked
• 1/2 cup black or green olives, (or both) pitted and halved 
• 2 tbs fresh snipped chives     Substitute 2 tsp dried
• 1 1/4 cups (4.2oz, 125gr) pasta - bite-size, penne, fusilli
• 4 anchovy fillets  optional
• Vinaigrette:
• 1/4 cup salad olive oil
• 2 tbs tarragon white wine vinegar
• 1 tbs Dijon-style mustard
• 1 tbs lemon juice
• 1 tbs fresh tarragon   Substitute 2 tsp dried
• 2 tbs snipped chives  Substitute 2 tsp dried

 Instructions:

• Boil eggs. 
• Cook pasta according to package directions. 
• Top and tail beans and cut in half. 
• Fill a medium saucepan 2/3 full of water and bring to a boil over high heat. 
• Add beans and blanch for 3 minutes. 
• Drain and rinse with cold water. 
• To make vinaigrette:
• Whisk vinegar, mustard and lemon juice. 
• Slowly add oil, whisking until it emulsifies.  
• Add tarragon, chives, stir and put into a large salad bowl. 
• The Salad:
• Add beans to vinaigrette. 
• Cut tomatoes in half and add to vinaigrette. 
• Clean pepper by cutting in half and discarding seeds.  Slice half of the pepper and add to vinaigrette. 
• Snip chives and add. 
• Cut olives in half and add (you get the picture.. - stir gently after each addition.). 
• Drain tuna, and add. 
• When pasta is cooked, drain and add to mix in salad bowl. 
• Toss lightly to combine. 
• Quarter eggs and arrange on top. 
• Garnish with anchovies, if desired, and serve.

Cooking schedule: 30 minutes Assemble all food, utensils and serving dishes Utensils: measuring cups, spoons, knives, whisk, small bowl, pot to cook pasta, colander, small saucepan with lid, medium saucepan, medium bowl, salad bowl Put water on high heat for pasta Start to boil eggs Put water on high heat for beans Top and tail beans, cut Blanch beans Fill bowl with cold water Cut olives

Drain beans, plunge in cold water Clean, slice pepper Start to cook pasta Mind the eggs Cut tomatoes Make vinaigrette, put into large salad bowl Snip herbs, add to vinaigrette, stir Add beans, tomatoes, pepper, olives to vinaigrette, stir Drain tuna, add, stir Cool, peel, quarter eggs Drain pasta, add to salad, stir Add eggs, ...anchovies if using... Serve

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By Katie Zeller

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