Thyme for Cooking

Seasonal Weekly Menus & Shopping Lists

Healthy Food          Fresh Ingredients          Simple Recipes

 Home  Seasonal Menus  Recipe Index Cooking Tips  Blog

Menu Plan for Summer I: Week 4, Wednesday

Niçoise Pasta Salad

Cooking time:  25 minutes for menu           Cooking schedule: see below for instructions

          Of course, the traditional Salade Niçoise is made with lettuce.  It should also be consumed with a glass of Rosé, sitting on a terrace, gazing at the Mediterranean. One thing that is NEVER used in a true Salade Niçoise is fresh tuna...

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 medium tomato or cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 red 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. 
• Slice tomatoes, cut slices into quarters 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: 25 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 Boil eggs Put water on high heat for beans Top and tail beans, cut Blanch beans Fill bowl with cold water Cut olives

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

Share this:

----------------------

Get 7 Dinner Menus, Recipes, Shopping List each Thursday by e-mail: Subscribe

Need help planning dinner?  Do you have a garden?   A CSA for fresh veggies?

Try our Weekly Menu Plans: Healthy Gourmet Dinners;  Quick, Easy Recipes.
Each week carefully planned to reduce waste and use a lots of fresh, seasonal veggies. 

By Katie Zeller

© All text and images are copyright © 2010 - 2024 Thyme for Cooking.  All rights reserved unless otherwise indicated