Tuna Salade Niçoise with Lemon-Mustard Vinaigrette

Tuna Salade Niçoise with Lemon-Mustard Vinaigrette
You can’t go wrong by serving this classic French salad when you are trying to impress someone.
It’s hearty enough for an entrée, with an array of colorful, filling, and decadent ingredients.

Lemon-Mustard Vinaigrette
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 2 large lemons
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 dashes Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Salad
1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
1 pound red bliss potatoes
1 pound mesclun salad greens, washed and dried
12 ounces canned tuna, drained
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
4 hard-boiled eggs, cut into quarters
1 large red tomato, cut into quarters
1 cup peeled and diced English cucumbers
5 slices red onion
1/2 cup niçoise or kalamata olives
2 tablespoons capers
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

■ For the lemon-mustard vinaigrette:
Combine the oil, lemon juice, mustard, garlic,
Tabasco sauce, salt, and pepper in a glass jar
with a lid. Cover and shake well. Let the
flavors blend for at least an hour before
serving. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

■ For the salad: Bring a 4-quart saucepan of
salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and
cook for 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon
and run under cold water. Set aside to cool.

■ Place the potatoes in a pot of cold water
and add a dash of salt. Bring to a boil over
high heat. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Drain, run
under cold water, and set aside to cool. Cut
into bite-size pieces.