Salad Nicoise is simply a salad based on Mediterranean ingredients; but hey it’s essentially a tuna salad! Easy to make but a little bit of planning is needed and it’s best to cook a few ingredients in advance.

Simply take:

• salad leaves
• cucumber (peeled)
• some olives
• anchovies – tin or jar and in oil
• Tuna (tinned or griddled steaks, pink ish is best)
• Waxy small new potatoes
• Trimmed green beans
• Tomatoes (if you really must)
• Hard boiled eggs

Cool the potatoes making sure they’re washed if necessary first. Lighlty salted water makes their flavour beam at you. Cook the beans so they still have some bite.  Cool both (it’s ok to use cold water, but drain and pat dry). Hard boil a few eggs and peel their shells once cool. Halve the eggs. Open the tins of tuna, or griddle the tuna steaks with a little, little drop of olive oil.

Then it really is about assembly. Take all the ingredients and put them in a bowl. Dress with a simple vinaigrette dressing.