GI Salad Nicoise

A handsomely arranged combination salad can be the solution for what to serve at an informal spur-of-the-moment meal. The trick is to toss all of the elements separately in vinaigrette, letting some marinate for 10 to 20 minutes if they need to take on flavour. Then when you arrange your work of art, each part of it is perfectly seasoned. Here is a hearty meatless combination.

Basic Vinaigrette:
1 to 2 tablespoons excellent wine vinegar, or a combination of vinegar and lemon juice
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon dry or Dijon mustard
6 to 8 tablespoons best-quality olive oil or salad oil
Fresh ground pepper
Optional: 1 tablespoon minced shallots or scallions and/or 1/4 teaspoon dried herbs such as tarragon or basil

Shake in a bottle.

Salad:
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
Raw zucchini, sliced
Raw mushrooms, sliced
Mixed salad greens
Hard-boiled eggs
Tomatoes
Olives
Anchovies
*Chunks of fresh cooked tuna or solid fish like swordfish
Chopped parsley

Preparation of Tuna

1. Take a piece of tuna (about 1 lb steak) and sprinkle with coarse salt and fresh pepper.. Brush both sides with olive oil. Either broil in oven at 400 for 5 minutes a side or place on the oiled barbeque grill. This will be medium rare. Tent with foil and cool.

2. Marinate kidney beans, zucchini, and mushrooms in vinaigrette for 20 to 30 minutes.

3. At serving time, toss mixed salad greens in a bowl with vinaigrette and arrange around the edges of a large serving dish. Mound the beans in the center, and decorate base with groups of marinated mushrooms and zucchini interspersed with hard-boiled eggs, tomatoes, olives, anchovies, and chunks of tuna or other fish.

Pour a bit more vinaigrette over all, sprinkle with chopped parsley or other herbs, and serve with French bread and a chilled rosé wine.