Nicoise Salad with Sweet Potatoes and Ahi Tuna

Recipe summary

Sweet potato coins cooked low and slow in olive oil set the stage for this quintessentially French salad.

Preparation time: 60 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

Sweet Potato Confit

• 2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch coins
• 2 cloves garlic, very thinly sliced
• 2 sprigs thyme
• extra virgin olive oil to cover

Pan Seared Ahi Tuna

• 4 Ahi tuna loins (each about 3 oz/85 g), cut into logs 2-inches by 2-inches by 4-inches
• 2 tablespoons EACH (60 mL total) whole peppercorns and coriander seed
• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) sea salt
• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) extra virgin olive oil

Lemon-Caper Vinaigrette

• juice and zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) roughly chopped capers
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) salt
• 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) pepper
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) reserved extra virgin olive oil

Lemon-Anchovy Aioli

• 1/2 cup (125 mL) mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) lemon juice
• 2 anchovies, mashed into a paste, or 1 teaspoon (5 mL) anchovy paste
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) finely chopped chives

Salad

• 2 cups (500 mL) tender-crisp haricots vert
• 4 hardboiled eggs, shelled and quartered
• 4 cups (1 L) heart of Romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
• 1 cup (250 mL) halved cherry tomatoes
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) pitted and sliced Nicoise olives
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) thinly sliced red onion