This is an edited salade nicoise the way I like it. The Haricots Verts that I bought this morning just 
looked so good so as soon as I got home I bagged the lunch that was planned and decided to do a small but filling salad of Haricots Verts, potatoes, pear tomatoes and tuna with a sherry vinaigrette. It amazes me that everything except the oil and vinegar are grown or caught right here in the Philippines. Haricots from Bukidnon, potatoes from Luzon, pear tomatoes from Tagaytay and tuna from the waters off of Mindanao…
To prepare boil some small potatoes until soft. Blanch haricots in hot water for 2 minutes and plunge into cold water then drain and pat dry. While the potatoes are still very hot, slice into small bite size pieces and put in a mixing bowl. Add some good olive oil and vinegar, salt and pepper and mix. The hot potatoes should absorb the dressing and make this a particulalry flavorful salad. Do not mess with the hot potato step. Add the beans and tomatoes and toss gently. Put in a serving dish and top with the finest quality canned or bottled tuna you can find. Add more pepper and eat. I like this with a slice or two of toasted french bread and a glass of bubbly Pellegrino. Adjust your ingredients to the number of portions you need. While this is a lunch meal by itself for me, you may want to serve it as a starter in a very modest sized portion. I will post a recipe for a more classic salade nicoise soon that makes use of the great romaine, organic eggs and other ingredients that are now available in the local market.
