A SALAD AS A MEAL SOUNDS DULL, BUT DON’T ROLL YOUR EYES AT THIS ONE. IT’S GENIUS. SERIOUSLY. It also has a high simplicity-to-taste ratio (I just made that up, but you know what I mean).
Basically you chuck in a whole bunch of veg and tuna steaks onto a roasting tray. Then throw the lot into the oven. BUT the REAL genius are the eggs!
This is another Gwyneth Paltow recipe. Here’s her take. You can add or subtract any ingredients, according to your taste.
HERE’S MY TAKE:
Serves 4.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1/2 pound green beans
- 1 cup grape/vine tomatoes, halved (or any other tomatoes you have)
- 1/2 cup pitted black olives (Nicoise olives, if you can find them)
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips (you can use more, if you like)
- Two 2-ounce cans anchovies in olive oil (I dump the entire can onto the salad and spread them out)
- 1/2 cup torn basil leaves (optional)
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- Four 6-ounce, 1-inch-thick tuna steaks
- 4 large eggs (you’ll need ramekins to put the eggs in)
For the Lemon & Oil Dressing:
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (plus extra to drizzle over steaks)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
*Don’t forget to scroll down for your Savory Sounds cooking soundtrack.
METHOD:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F/180°C. Put the beans in boiling water until crisp-tender, for about 4 minutes. Drain.
- Drizzle olive oil on the bottom of a large roasting pan. Spread the beans out.
- Add the tomatoes, olives, bell pepper, anchovies and basil. Drizzle olive oil over the veggies. Season with salt and pepper.
- Swipe a bit of olive around the inside of each ramekin and place in the pan among the vegetables (I put them in each corner). Crack an egg into each ramekin. Drizzle the eggs with a bit of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Brush the tuna steaks with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Set the tuna on top of the vegetables.
- Roast the tuna, vegetables and eggs in the center of the oven for 15-20 minutes, until the fish is slightly rare in the center and the egg whites are set, but the yolks are still runny. **BE CAREFUL not to over-cook the tuna steaks. The eggs usually take longer, so I often take the steaks out early. You don’t have to, but KEEP an eye on them.
- Meanwhile in a small bowl, mix 1/4 cup of oil with the lemon juice. Season with salt and lots of pepper.
- When the Nicoise is ready, take the roasting pan out of the oven. Drizzle the lemon dressing over the vegetables and tuna steaks (I also squeeze some fresh lemon juice over the tuna). Transfer to plates and serve immediately.
SAVORY SOUNDS
THERE’S VERY LITTLE NEW MUSIC OUT THERE THAT’S TICKLING MY EARBUDS.
This one is currently on my playlist. It’s a good loungy summer tune.
Here’s a new take on an old tune. It’s a remix of “Kelly Watch the Stars” from the brilliant Moon Safari album from French duo Air.
A very different song but similar vibe, this is my fave track from MGMT. An oldie, but a greatie!
