Hungry for Spring? Nicoise Salad

The Nicoise Salad is composed of some of my favorite things and is a bit like small plates, which I also love.  Traditionally, the Nicoise has fresh tuna atop a bed of greens, with olives, fresh tomatoes, and hard-boiled egg. Sometimes there are barely-cooked green beans as well. The other night, my husband whipped this up with a few substitutions.

• Mesclun salad greens with cherry tomatoes and black olives in a mustard vinaigrette (recipe below)
• Tuna spears packed in olive oil (more affordable than fresh tuna and no cooking required!; good for protein)
• Fresh, sliced avocado (omega-3 fatty acids- the good fats)
• Sliced, hard-boiled egg (good for protein)
• Pickled jalapeno peppers instead of green beans, which are not in season

It was scrumptious and brought some of the freshness of spring to me. This simple mustard vinaigrette made it truly French:

• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 1-2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1-2 Tablespoons vinegar (white/red wine)
• salt and pepper to taste

Whip all ingredients until combined. Taste and add more mustard or vinegar depending on how mustardy/tangy you like it. Pour over greens and toss well to coat all leaves.

Also, in order to cut down on prep time, you can pre-hard boil the eggs, and toss the salad without the vinaigrette. All in all, it’s pretty quick to assemble and delicious to take it apart as you eat it. Bon appetit!