Salade Niçoise

Hot days call for cold dinners outside, and our go-to dish this past summer has been the Southern French classic, salade niçoise.

While many niçoise recipes call on canned tuna, we think fresh tuna takes this dish to a whole new level. Throw in a cold bottle of the delicious and very South-of-France-inspired ‘Minnow’ rosé, and you’ve got a match for the ages. Enjoy!

 
INGREDIENTS
– Serves 2 –

10 new potatoes
3 eggs
1 handful of green beans, trimmed
1 tbsp. olive oil
250 g tuna steak
200 g cherry tomatoes, halved
150 g mixed olives
8 anchovies
3 radishes, finely sliced
1 small bunch of basil, leaves picked
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Dressing
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. caster sugar
½ cup white wine vinegar
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

 
METHOD

Pour yourself a glass of 2016 Shadowfax ‘Minnow’ Rosé.

Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for about 15 minutes until they can be easily pierced with a skewer. Drain well, then halve once cool.

Place the eggs in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and cook for 5 minutes. Take the saucepan of the heat and set aside, leaving the eggs to finish cooking in the water for a further 5 minutes. Remove the eggs from the water and cool in iced water, then peel and halve.

Cook the beans in boiling salted water for 3–5 minutes, then refresh in iced water.

To make the dressing, combine the shallots, garlic, mustard, sugar and vinegar in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil and immediately remove from the heat. Using a stick blender, slowly blend in the oil until emulsified. Season well with salt and pepper and set aside – this recipe will make more than you need, but it will keep for up to 3 weeks refrigerated in an airtight container.

Heat the oil in a heavy frying pan over high heat and sear the tuna for no more than 2 minutes per side.

Add the tomatoes, olives, anchovies, beans, radish, potatoes, basil and 3 tablespoons of the dressing to a large bowl and gently toss to combine.

Plate the salad with the eggs. Slice the tuna into strips across the fillet and arrange on top of the salad, then season with salt and pepper. Drizzle over a little more dressing if desired and serve.