Take a Trip to the French Riviera...Without Leaving Home!

While yesterday started off horrible weather-wise (completely grey and overcast but ridiculously hot and humid - Have I mentioned how much I am loving New England weather this summer?), it actually turned out to be a sunny afternoon. Still humid, but with the summer we have had so far I don't care if the air was so wet we were swimming in it, so long as we see some sun. Given the weather, it was a perfect day for a nice, light salad supper. I made the Grilled Nicoise Tuna salad from the August 2009 issue of Food and Wine magazine. Here's what I love, love, loved about this dish:

• It's a healthy, balanced meal all in one. I served the sliced grilled tuna steaks on a bed of fresh picked lettuce, topped with 2 chopped hard-boiled eggs, a handful of chopped nicoise olives, sliced new potatoes that had been boiled and tossed with olive oil and chopped fresh tarragon (any herb would work), and the cherry tomato/green bean salad below. Great combination of lots of fresh veggies and lean protein.



• It is a GREAT party/big crowd dish (provided you have people who like tuna...I'd say keep a few burgers and dogs on hand just in case). I made everything well in advance - the hard boiled eggs, tomato/green bean salad, etc., and then just grilled the tuna and assembled the platter at the last minute. I actually think the tomato/green bean salad and the potatoes taste BETTER having sat around for a while because the flavors get a chance to meld a bit more. Think about it - make all the ingredients in the morning, and then spend 10 minutes grilling the tuna and assembling the dish right before dinner...what could be better if you're hosting a party?



• The marinade for the tuna is delish...I would make the tuna on it's own.

For once I think I followed the recipe almost exactly, except I used fennel seeds in the tuna marinade and the only herb I used in the dressing for the cherry tomatoes and green beans was tarragon. I also made extra dressing to drizzle over the dish when served.

Grilled Nicoise Tuna Steaks

Ingredients
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 1/2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped thyme leaves
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground fennel
2 large shallots, coarsely chopped
Ten 1-inch-thick tuna steaks (8 ounces each)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions
In a medium bowl, whisk the olive oil with the wine, mustard, thyme, fennel and shallots. Arrange the tuna steaks on a large rimmed baking sheet and pour the marinade over them. Turn the tuna steaks to coat. Let stand for 30 minutes.
Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. Season the tuna steaks with salt and pepper. Grill over moderately high heat, turning once, for 4 minutes per side, until medium. Thinly slice the steaks, transfer to plates and serve.

Green Bean-Tomato Salad with Herbs

Ingredients
2 pounds green beans
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon chopped tarragon
1 tablespoon snipped chives
1/2 teaspoon chopped thyme leaves
1/2 pound cherry tomatoes, halved

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook until they are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse the green beans under cold water until they are chilled; pat the green beans dry.
In a large bowl, whisk the mustard with the vinegar. Gradually whisk in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Add the green beans, tarragon, chives and thyme and toss to coat. Add the tomatoes, toss gently and serve.