On The Plate: To can or not to can

It was the freshly picked broad beans that started me up. Sure, I love them lightly cooked and double peeled so that you just have the tender, bright green beans, tossed in foaming butter and loads of ground black pepper. But what other dishes could I make that more or less feature broad beans?

As you do, I started googling and discovered to my surprise that many traditional recipes for Salad Nicoise favour broad beans instead of the long green beans I’d always used. This revelation somehow led to the pros and cons of using fresh or tinned tuna.

Well, the jury’s still out. After quite a lively discussion we just can’t agree whether using a tin of good quality tuna is ‘permissible’ when making Salad Nicoise, or whether you must insist on fresh tuna? Some fairly good natured, yet heated discussion took place over the dining table, and thence a fair amount of internet research ensued. For my money, as per my article a couple of weeks ago, I’ll cheat if I can, and take a short cut if needs must!

Sure, using a beautiful piece of fresh tuna, cooked medium rare on a grill and allowed to cool before being broken into bite-sized pieces for the salad is probably the way to go. But, being able to use some pantry staples makes for a quick and simple, deliciously healthy meal I reckon. So on the basis of that, I’m sticking with the can!

Sustainably caught and tinned tuna is such a versatile ingredient to have on hand. I still love homemade tuna patties, made with mashed potato, and finely diced Spanish onion, some chives or parsley, coated in panko crumbs and pan fried until crispy golden. For an Asian version I add a good tablespoon of tom yum paste and fresh coriander, some chilli flakes to joosh up the more homely version. All that’s required is some wedges of lemon and a green salad. Voila, Fridy-night-supper is taken care of!

My research also touched on the use of anchovies in a traditional Salad Nicoise. I’ve always included anchovies into the mayonnaise dressing, but some chefs argue that the inclusion of anchovies with the tuna overwhelms the delicate flavour of the tuna.

Indeed the suggestion was made to reach for tinned tuna (and use an anchovy enhanced dressing) for everyday meals, and keep the fresh tuna for ‘special occasions’. Fair enough I reckon, but it was interesting to read that in fact some Salad Nicoise have no tuna at all, but use the cheaper anchovies as the fish element.

Always something to learn isn’t there?

I hasten to add, and not for the first time, that recipes can really be a rough guide, open for your own interpretation.

Reading various articles, the other stumbling block was whether potato should traditionally be part of a good Salad Nicoise. There’s no doubt in my mind that the combination of potato, tuna, olives, capers, anchovies, with cherry tomatoes and beans – be they broad or long – makes for a very satisfying meal indeed!

SALAD NICOISE

INGREDIENTS
• 1 x 400gm tin tuna in olive oil
• 3 eggs – hard boiled
• 200gm green beans
• 4-6 chat potatoes
• 100gm pitted black olives
• 2-3 anchovy fi llets
• ½ punnet cherry tomatoes
• ½ cup continental parsley
leaves
• 120gm salad leaves*
• ½ Spanish onion
• ½ cup good quality
mayonnaise
• juice of 1 lemon

METHOD
The salad leaves can be iceberg, butter lettuce, or a mix of rocket, baby spinach – choose what you like best. Wash salad leaves, and pat dry with paper toweling. Drain tuna and tip into a medium sized bowl. Cut hard-boiled eggs into quarters. Trim beans at stem end only, and blanch in boiling water until just tender – drain and rinse in cold water, then drizzle olive oil over – set aside. Blanch potatoes (do not peel them) in a pot of boiling water until tender – test by piercing with a tooth pick – they should hold their shape, but not be mushy. Cut into bite sized pieces.

Thinly slice onion, cut cherry tomatoes in half, and cut olives in half also. Smash the anchovies in a small bowl using the back of a fork, and
combine with the mayonnaise and lemon juice to make a dressing.

To assemble onto either one serving platter, or in individual bowls, place salad leaves in first and drizzle a little of the mayo-dressing to coat the leaves. Layer these with the tuna, crumbling it with your fingers so that it retains the ‘flakes’ of flesh. Top with beans, tomatoes, olives, eggs, and dot the potatoes around the edges. Top with parsley leaves, and drizzle the mayo-anchovy dressing over the top. If you wish, drizzle with some additional EVOO.

Serves 3-4 – but recipe can easily be doubled, tripled, quadrupled to serve a crowd.