So what can I say about Salade Nicoise?

Well, lord knows (and y'all) know I didn’t invent this one. 

It’s a classic. 

And yes. 

Yes, there may have been a time when I probably would not have touched  this salade with a ten foot pole.

Really?

Yes, for sure. 

It’s canned tuna y'all. Where I am from there ain’t nothing special about canned tuna. Not a damn thing. 

Unless.

Unless it’s canned tuna packed in olive oil. 

Even then, not all canned tuna packed in olive oil are created equal. 

Over the last month, I’ve been on canned tuna in olive oil kick. I’ve tried around $30 of canned tuna in olive oil. That may sound like a lot but the price ranges from $1.99 (on sale) to damn near $7 per 4 or 5 ounce can of some specialty, wild caught, sustainable, blah, blah, blah. 

In the end, the first can of tuna ended up being the best choice. 

What about the other canned tuna, you ask?

Well, those are just like any other canned tuna situation but more pricey and strangely more dry than their packed in water counterpart. 

I have no idea how that happens: 

crumbly, damn near tasteless, eerily odorless, damn near dehydrated canned tuna impervious to the fact that it is swimming, drowning in olive oil. It made that four dollar and some-odd-change can more than a regrettable purchase. 

So please folks, go with the best of the taste test. 

Really, it’s quite fucking delicious.

I mean, boiled eggs and olives were made for each other. 

Fatty somewhat neutral component up against a tangy salt brine (duh).

Throw in the tuna and you’ve got a party in your mouth. 

It just looks like a fancy lady salad. 

It ain’t. 

That’s one of the secrets of fancy ladies: looking like you fancy when you ain’t. 

I know, I know. 

It doesn’t seem or appear to be seasonal but you know what?

I dids the best I could with what I had:

A) in the kitchen/larder 

B) and took advantage of this odd time of year where it is neither Summer nor Fall. 

So I figured why the hell not?

There’s the last of the red potatoes stashed from Summer, check.

Some freshly picked green beans, check. 

The last few yard eggs need to be boiled before buying the next dozen, done. 

Lord knows, I have 3 or 4 varieties of olives on hand at any given moment. 

I can’t help it–some nights it is all about the cheese board.

For dinner. 

I have no shame. 

Lazy, yes. 

Shame, no. 

Don’t judge and I suspect after putting this salade in your face I know that you won’t. 

It’s fitting, actually.

To have this salade.

This salade on a breezy, cold-front-moving-thru kind of Sunday afternoon.

Goodby…err riddance to you, Summer. 

I am ready for the baked goods, the bottles of red wine, and evenings that include any kind of roasted/stewed meats. Bring it on, Fall.

BRING. IT. ON.  

So here’s to, farewell to you, Summer.

SALADE NICOISE

Cook time: 20 mins 

yes, I know it’s a salad but unless you like raw potatoes–there it is.

Prep time: 10 mins

Yield: one giant farewell to Summer salad or two decent human-sized servings. I will let y'all guess which one I went for.

First things, first: the dressing.

2 cloves garlic, chopped

3 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

1 TBSP red wine vinegar

Salt + Pepper to taste.

Whisk together garlic, olive oil and red wine vinegar. 

Set aside.

SALADE ingredients:

3 oz green beans, ends cleaned–just trim ‘em of any stems.

4 small/medium red potatoes, quartered. 

¼ bunch parsley, leaves only.

Handful of salad mix or butterhead lettuce leaves

a few chunks of smoked sardines

8-10 black olives, pitted and halved. chopped whatever you prefer.

½ pint cherry tomatoes, halved.

1 can tuna packed in olive oil

2 yard eggs, boiled. 

Go ahead and break out 2 small/medium size pots.

Throw y'alls quartered red potatoes into one of the pots, fill with water just covering the taters. Place pot over medium/high heat. Check potatoes every so often with a fork. If they slide off the fork, they are done. 

Y'all should setup your ice bath, now. 

Yeah, ice bath.

Medium size mixing bowl, one ice cube tray and some water.

Set aside.

While your taters are boiling, grab that second pot. 

Fill it up about ¾ of way with water and place over medium/high heat. Bring the water to a rolling boil. Drop the green beans in. Cook for 5 mins and once the time is up grab the tongs–remove the green beans and add them to the ice bath for a few minutes. 4 or 5 minutes perhaps.

Y'alls taters should be about ready by now.

Check with the fork. Slide off? GOOD. 

Remove the green beans from the ice bath. Allow to drain. 

Strain the potatoes in a colander. Once the potatoes are strained plunge em into the ice bath. Again, let them hang out for a few minutes then strain. Yes, again. 

Set aside. 

Now make that dang salade!

Break out a medium sizing bowl. 

Toss together green beans, potatoes, parsley, salad mix, smoked sardines, olives and tomatoes. Combine until well dressed. 

Take that smartly dressed salad and put it on a plate. 

Top with tuna. Add the boiled egg–make it look pretty, now. 

Top off with a few more chunks of sardines and eat.

Don’t forget the wine.

I choose the $3 a bottle “cooking” chardonnay hanging out nearby.

Making the most of what you got.

Fancy lady and all.