Seared Tuna Niçoise

Method

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1. Boil the eggs 7 minutes for a set white and a soft, bright yolk, then cool them under running water and peel.

   Mark done

2. Boil the green beans 3 minutes in the same water, then drop them into cold water so they keep their colour and bite.

   Mark done

3. Mash the anchovies and garlic to a paste, then whisk in the vinegar, mustard, oil and pepper.

   Mark done

4. Pat the tuna dry and press the cracked pepper and salt into both faces.

   Mark done

5. Heat a heavy pan with the tablespoon of oil until it is just beginning to smoke.

   Mark done

6. Sear the tuna 90 seconds on each side. The outside should be brown and the centre still deep red.

   Mark done

7. Rest it 3 minutes, then slice across the grain into 1 cm slices.

   Mark done

8. Toss the leaves, beans, tomatoes, olives and capers with most of the vinaigrette, lay the tuna and halved eggs over, and spoon the rest across.

   Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• Ninety seconds a side and no more. If the pan is not almost smoking, wait — a lukewarm pan cooks the tuna through before it browns.
• Buy the thickest steak you can. A thin one is grey before it has a crust.
• Cool the beans in cold water the moment they come out, or they carry on cooking and go khaki.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.

Pairing Suggestions

• A cold Provençal rosé
• Bread and butter, for anyone not counting carbohydrate
• A ripe peach afterwards

Storage & Reheating

Assemble to serve. Components keep separately 2 days; the tuna is good cold the next day but never reheat it. Dressed leaves are finished within the hour.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.