Any recipe that uses a fancy spelling and a French word makes it seem like it’s more special than it probably is. Salade Nicoise purports to take inspiration from Nice, France. Nicoise style is generally associated with tomatoes, garlic, black olives & anchovies. This recipe does include the tomatoes and anchovies, so perhaps it is al la Nicoise.

Salade Nicoise

5 potatoes

2 T dry white wine

2 T wine vinegar

Dash each salt & pepper

3 T oil

2 cups cold, cooked green beans

3 tomatoes, quartered

1 cup French dressing

1 head butter lettuce

2 ( 6 1/2 or 7 ounce) cans white tuna, drained and broken into large chunks

1/2 cup Greek style olives (kalamata)

3 hard cooked eggs, halved

12 anchovy filets, drained and rolled

Capers

2 T finely chopped parsley

Cook potatoes in boiling water until tender. Drain. When cool enough to handle, peel and slice 1/8 inch thick. Pour wine over warm potato slices. Combine vinegar, salt and pepper, and oil. Pour over potatoes and marinate over night.

Spoon about 1/4 cup French dressing over beans and tomatoes and marinate at least 1 hour. Separate lettuce leaves and toss with 1/4 cup dressing. Arrange leaves around platter or bowl. Combine potatoes with beans and place in center of platter. Arrange tomatoes, eggs and olives around potato mixture. Place tuna chunks and anchovy filets on potato mixture. Fill center of each anchovy filet with a caper. Sprinkle additional capers over salad, if wanted. Garnish with parsley. Pass remaining French dressing when serving salad. Makes 6-8 servings.