The sort-of Nicoise Salad

I love tuna nicoise. It screams summer to me, and I love the way the flavors go together. Recently, it was on the menu, and when Mike asked what was for dinner, I proudly announced it. To be greated with "the face". You know the face. The one that tells you that he's not so happy about it. That he might rather have Taco Bell (ah, the insult!). So, I did what an exceptionally loving, wonderful person would do. I switched it around.

Except.

I thought it was the tuna that he was protesting. Turns out he thinks green beans in salad are weird, and it's not the tuna he has a problem with at all. So, he still had to pick around the green beans. Oh, well. At least he hid the face a little better when supper was served (and in the interest of full disclosure, my children ate this meal in completely separate piles; no way would they eat it all mixed together). But I ate it as served, as it was intended to be eaten. And enjoyed every bite.

Chicken Nicoise Salad
lettuce
black olives
cooked green beans
potato salad (don't knock it--it's a great substitute for the traditional boiled potatoes, onion slices, and boiled eggs)
poached chicken
cucumbers
Luxembourg dressing

Dressing
adapted from Marti's at Midday
2 small shallots (I used small fresh onions from the garden--shallot size),chopped
3 tablespoons fresh minced herbs (I used tarragon, lemon basil, and lemon thyme)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 teaspoon grain mustard
2 teaspoons sugar
3/4 cups canola oil
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh black pepper

Directions:

Combine all ingredients for dressing except oils in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth and well combined. Add oils in a slow steady stream on medium blending speed to emulsify. You must add the oil slowly so that the dressing does not separate. This dressing is deeeeee-licious! Definitely try it. It's great on any green salad, as a marinade, as a dip. Very multi-purpose, and really, really good.

To build the salad, place a bed of lettuce on each individual plate. Place all ingredients on top of the lettuce, to "compose" the salad. Drizzle with the salad dressing. Depending on who you are serving, this works well as individual salads or in one big platter. It's all good.

Today, I'm linked to Tasty Tuesday over at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam. Check it out!