I am one of those
people who bring their lunch to work. I
realize that this is the norm in some industries, but in the world of finance
doing so makes you stick out like a sore thumb.
I used to try and bring inconspicuous items like turkey sandwiches and
chicken noodle soup, but sandwiches generally feel less then chic and
elegant. When you’re forced to eat all
your meals at your desk, you want to try and bring a little French je ne sais quai to your
meal.
To make my lunch feel a little more special and a little
less like I’m eating in a white walled cubicle (when I’d rather be eating on a
bench in the sun), I’ve taken to making salads.
We are not talking about
bagged lettuce mix salads (the horror!) but rather positively French salads
filled with farmer’s market vegetables and some kind of protein.
My current version features skinny haricots verts (a green
bean with a fancy name) with baby red potatoes, chopped egg, and olive oil
packed tuna. I use the olive oil the
tuna comes in to make a tart and spicy vinaigrette that I drizzle over the
whole thing while the salad is still warm.
The warm vegetables soak up the vinaigrette which makes each bite taste
creamy and rich. The dish is at its best
the next day once the flavors have melded, making this the perfect easy lunch
that tastes like so much more. If only I
had macarons for dessert (and white wine to drink!)
Green Bean,
Potato, and Tuna Salad
Serves 4
This is my version of a nicoise salad (so French!). In addition to being a super fabulous lunch,
it also makes the perfect meal for an impromptu alfresco dinner especially if
you serve it with a wedge of brie and crusty bread. Finish the meal with a bar of the best dark
chocolate you can buy. Simple and
wonderful.
For the salad
1 ¼ pound green beans washed and ends removed, cut in half on
a diagonal
1 pound red baby potatoes washed and quartered (or more if
bigger)
3 egss
1 can good olive oil packed tuna (this is the time to
splurge)
Salt and pepper to taste
For the dressing
Olive oil from can of tuna (about 3 tablespoons, add fresh
if not enough)
1 tablespoon Dijon
mustard (plus more to taste if you like lots of mustard)
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large pot, bring water to boil, salt your water, and
add green beans. Cook 3-4 minutes,
depending on how crisp you like your beans.
Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon and place in large bowl. Rinse beans with cold water to stop
cooking.
Add potatoes to pot, cook until fork tender, about 6-8
minutes depending on the potatoes size.
Remove from pot with a slotted spoon. Add eggs to pot and cook 10
minutes.
While eggs are cooking, make dressing. Drain tuna olive oil into a small bowl. Add tuna to the green beans and
potatoes. Combine mustard, white wine
vinegar, and honey with the oil. Stir to
combine. Season with salt and pepper to
taste.
Remove eggs from pot, and dunk in cold water. Peel the eggs, halve them, and dice each
half. Add eggs to the beans, potatoes,
and tuna. Season beans and potato mixture
with salt and (lots of!) pepper to taste.
Mix in dressing, and toss to coat.
Taste, and adjust seasonings as necessary.
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