The season of the tuna nicoise is upon us at last!

INGREDIENTS

Serves 1 ravenous individual, or 2 modestly hungry people. This recipe can be scaled up or down to your heart’s content. 

1 tin of Fishwife Smoked Albacore Tuna 

Handful of mixed lettuces 

Cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered depending on size

Castelvetrano olives, torn (a bastardization of a classic, I know)

Green beans, blanched till tender and tossed in olive oil and lemon juice

2 soft boiled eggs, halved

Sage, rosemary & garlic seared potatoes, recipe follows

Garlic & basil vinaigrette, recipe follows 

Fresh basil 

Directions:

Assemble all ingredients on a large enough plate, creating a pocket of space for each ingredient to hold its own. Drizzle with vinaigrette. 

Enjoy with reckless abandon. 

Sage, rosemary & garlic seared potatoes

Ingredients

A handful of moderately sized fingerling potatoes 

Sea salt

A bay leaf

A couple sprigs each of rosemary and sage

2 peeled and crushed garlic cloves, more if you’re feeling wild 

A generous pat of butter 

Directions

Add the potatoes, bay leaf, and a very generous amount of salt - more than you think acceptable - to a small pot. Add enough water to cover the potatoes by about an inch. Bring to a boil and cook till the potatoes are just tender. You can judge this by inserting the tip of a small knife into the potato - it should be able to pierce through the potato with little resistance, but should still feel firm and far from crumbling apart. 

Remove from the heat and drain. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice them in half longways. 

Heat the butter in a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the herbs and crushed garlic, swirl to coat, then place the potatoes cut side down into the sizzling butter. Cook until the potatoes are irresistibly aromatic and golden brown. 

Garlic and basil vinaigrette

Ingredients

3 cloves of garlic

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (extra credit if you use a basil oil like Brightland’s Arise)

A handful of lush basil leaves, thinly sliced 

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Microplace the garlic into a small bowl and cover with the vinegar. Set aside to mellow for 5-10 minutes. This process almost pickles the garlic - relieving the intensity of its punch, and making it more tame on your digestive system. 

Add the salt, pepper, basil, and olive oil and whisk to emulsify. Taste for seasoning. Is it bright enough? Peppery enough? Only your taste buds can tell. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.