While this take on a niçoise retains all the simplicity of the original, it injects extra flashiness with the preposterously delicious tonnato sauce. Drape some extra anchovies over this if you’re one of those anchovy types.
Serves 4
eggs 4 small
small new potatoes 300g, halved
green beans 300g, topped
tonnato sauce 1 batch (see recipe below)
cherry tomatoes 300g, halved, or 3 ripe medium tomatoes, cut into chunks
cucumber 1 small, halved lengthways, deseeded and cut into chunks
black olives 60g, pitted
extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
salt and pepper
For the tonnato sauce
anchovy fillets 4
garlic 1 clove, roughly chopped
capers 1½ tbsp, soaked if salted
egg yolks 2
dijon mustard 1½ tsp
lemon juice of ½
red wine vinegar 1½ tbsp
good-quality tuna in oil 220g (150g drained weight)
olive oil 125ml (or a mix of olive and vegetable oil)
salt and pepper
Bring a deep pan of salted water to the boil and add the eggs and potatoes. Put the lid on so you get a nice rapid boil and cook for 8 minutes, adding the beans after 4 minutes. Everything should be tender by then (and the eggs cooked) – have a check. Drain into a sieve and cool under cold running water, paying extra attention to cooling the eggs, but don’t leave everything too long under the water, as the potatoes can easily get soggy. Drain and set to one side.
Next, make the tonnato sauce. Put the anchovy fillets, garlic and capers in a food processor or blender (or use a hand blender) and blitz until everything is finely chopped (I’m looking at you, garlic), then add the rest of the ingredients except half the tuna and the oil. Whizz until fine. Pulse-blitzing, add the oil, little by little, then blend until smooth. It should be the consistency of single cream. Fold in the remaining tuna, taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking – you may want to add more lemon or vinegar too. It will keep for at least a week in an airtight container in the fridge.
Spread the sauce out on a large platter or divide between plates. Scatter over the potatoes, beans, tomatoes and cucumber. Peel the eggs, cut into halves and sit on top. Scatter over the olives, season with a little salt and pepper, and drizzle with a little oil before serving with some hunks of bread.
From Let’s Do Lunch: Quick and Easy Recipes to Brighten up Your Week by Georgia Levy (Pavilion, £16.99)
