Salade Niçoise

1. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and boil until beans are just tender, about 3 minutes. Immediately remove beans from pot and transfer to a bowl of water and ice. Once beans are chilled, transfer to a bowl, pat dry, and refrigerate.

2. 
   Place the potatoes in a steamer basket in a saucepan containing 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to moderate, cover tightly and steam for about 20 minutes, or until cooked through; taste one to check. When potatoes are just cool enough to handle, peel and cut them into quarters, then place in a bowl.

3. Meanwhile, in a glass or stainless-steel bowl, whisk together the wine, water, shallots, 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, salt, and pepper. , mustard, salt, and pepper. Pour mixture over warm potatoes, gently tossing with potatoes without breaking up potatoes.

4. Make the dressing: Whisk lemon zest, Dijon mustard, remaining minced shallots, lemon juice, and oil in a bowl until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Toss lettuce leaves in 2 tablespoons of the dressing, and arrange on a platter. Spoon potatoes over beans, and arrange eggs alongside. Toss green beans and tomatoes in 1 tablespoon of dressing and arrange on lettuce. Add tuna, anchovies, capers, olives, and parsley on top. Arrathe potatoes with 1 tablespoon of the vinaigrette and pile them on top of the romaine. Repeat with the green beans and the eggs, tossing each with 1 tablespoon of the vinaigrette and then arranging it on the romaine. Arrange the anchovies, capers, tuna, pimientos, and olives in piles on the lettuce. Pass any remaining vinaigrette at the table.

Suggested Pairing

For an elegant evening on the patio, why not pull out all the stops and enjoy a festive rosé Champagne with this classic salad. Champagne's deceptively high acidity will contrast with the richness of the tuna while standing up to the dressing's vinegary tang.