The Perfect Niçoise Salad

2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed and halved

1 head of romaine lettuce, or 1/2 head of Batavia or frisee

1 small Boston lettuce or other crisp baby lettuce (optional)

2 scallions, sliced

8-12 oz good-quality canned tuna pieces or cooked, cold, fresh tuna

2 oz salted anchovies or 24 canned salted anchovy fillets

24 black olives, Nicoise type (optional)

3 or 4 hard-cooked eggs, pealed, and quartered or halved

a handful of fresh, small basil leaves, roughly torn

6 1/2 oz fresh fava beans, podded and peeled

2 ripe red tomatoes, each cut into 6 or 8 wedges

4-inch piece of cucumber, peeled and cubed

2 fresh baby artichokes, trimmed, halved, and chokes removed (or canned equivalent)

4 radishes, sliced

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon sea salt flakes

1 lemon, cut into wedges (optional)

Serves 4-6

Rub the garlic cloves around the base and sides of each salad plate or bowl.

Wash and shake dry the salad leaves, then cover and chill. Tear them and use some of each type to line the plates or bowls. Scatter in some scallions.

Break the tuna into coarse chunks and place on the lettuce. Rinse and dry the anchovies if very salty, then arrange in a criss-cross pattern on the tuna. Add the olives (if using). Drizzle the dressing over the salad just before serving, and put a wedge of lemon on each plate, if you’d like.

Note: If fava beans are not available, break the rules and substitute 5 oz briefly cooked thin green beans.

Originally published in Flavors of Provence by Clare Ferguson. Ryland Peters & Small, $21.95

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