Julian, aged 10, is poised to turn the tuna in the frypan on demand, tongs at the ready.
When it comes to coaxing kids to eat greens, being sneaky about it is one way forward. Herbs are packed with vitamins and flavour and the salsa verde in this version of the enduring French-originating Nicoise salad recipe is a healthy addition. The flavour of the green beans is enhanced by light cooking and they must be crisp. The crunch of the beans with the soft tuna and egg is hard to resist.
Julian (pictured), aged 10, is poised to turn the tuna in the frypan on demand. Tongs at the ready, and bemused by the fuss, he speedily responds at: "Turn!" The trick is allowing the tuna to brown lightly over the very high heat without letting it cook through. A watchful, doting eye is all-important. As he slices through the soft, pink-centred fish, which is much less "fishy" than the canned variety, Julian beams at the result. Much careful plating of the deconstructed salad takes place and the herb-packed salsa verde is skilfully drizzled.
Ingredients
450g sashimi-grade yellowfin tuna
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
400g kipfler potatoes, scrubbed
2 eggs, at room temperature
250g green beans, tailed
Salsa verde
½ cup parsley, finely chopped
½ cup basil, finely chopped
5 mint leaves, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tsp capers, finely chopped
1-2 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
100ml extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp lemon juice, or to taste
Method
Heat a frypan on a high heat. Coat the entire tuna fillet in black pepper and drizzle and coat with olive oil. Sear the tuna for 10 seconds each side over the high heat so the outside is slightly brown but the inside still very rare. Remove from heat and set aside.
Put the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Cook uncovered, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a skewer (about 15 minutes), then drain.
Lower the eggs into warm water and bring to the boil, stirring to centre the yolks. Once simmering, allow the eggs to cook for four minutes, then remove from water and leave to cool in cold water.
Drop the beans in boiling, salted water to cover and cook for three to five minutes, until crisp-tender. Drain immediately and refresh in iced water, drain again.
Slice the potatoes across into one centimetre-thick rounds and arrange on a serving plate with the beans. Slice the eggs across-ways into four and arrange on the plate, then thinly slice the tuna and add to the top of the salad.
For the salsa verde, place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and whisk until well combined. Season and add more lemon juice if desired. Drizzle about three tablespoons over Nicoise salad and store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge. The dressing will keep for two days.
Serves 4 as a light meal
Author: Kate Gibbs
Source: The Sydney Morning Herald
Modern, Quick, Easy
