I was just outside, and it is SO HOT! I certainly don’t feel like cooking and heating up the kitchen. I’d much rather get myself one of those inflatable boats and go out on the water, where it’s much cooler.
But hot or not, we all have to eat. Here is an excellent main dish salad recipe that we tried last week. I got it from the latest issue of Everyday Food magazine.
I adapted the original recipe a little bit. It didn’t call for hard boiled eggs, but Mike suggested putting them in, to make the salad a bit more substantial, and a little more like a “salade Nicoise”. The eggs can be cooked up in advance, in fact, this is recommended, as they are much easier to peel when they are cold. I use Julia Child’s method for perfect hard-boiled eggs, it requires a bit more attention, but it works every time. I’ll give the method after the salad recipe, after the jump.
Also, the recipe called for tuna packed in olive oil. I have been informed by my cats that this is serious cat abuse, that I am only allowed to buy water-packed tuna. They like it when I drain the tuna water into their food dishes. They do NOT like the olive oil at all!
So I took Junior’s advice here, and bought water-packed tuna. I drained the water into their bowls, as they ordered me to (we all know that the cats are in charge around here!). Then I put the tuna into a human’s bowl, drizzled in a little extra-virgin olive oil, and mixed it in well. Voila…tuna in oil, and the cats are happy, too! 
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Mediterranean Tuna Salad with Croutons
1/2 baguette, cut into 3/4 inch cubes (about 3 cups)
4 Tablespoons olive oil
coarse salt and ground pepper to taste
1 garlic clove
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 head Boston lettuce (about 10 ounces) torn into pieces
2 plum tomatoes, cored, halved lengthwise, and sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded, and thinly sliced
1 small can of sliced, pitted black olives
6 hard boiled eggs, peeled and sliced (optional, see Julia’s method after the jump)
2 cans (6 ounces each) tuna, either packed in olive oil and drained, or water-packed tuna prepared as aboveIn a large skillet, toss bread with 2 Tablespoons of the olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat, tossing frequently, until croutons are golden and crisp, about 10-12 minutes. Set aside.
Finely chop garlic and sprinkle with salt. Using a chef’s knife, press the flat side of the blade back and forth across garlic to make a paste. Scrape up the paste with the knife and place in large salad serving bowl. Whisk in lemon juice, mustard, and remaining 2 Tablespoons of oil. Season dressing with salt and pepper.
To bowl, add lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, olives and croutons. Toss well. Arrange egg slices on top, if using, and mound with tuna. Makes 4 servings.
Click “read the rest” below for Julia’s HB egg method…
Julia does not recommend doing more than 24 eggs using this method. For that many eggs, you will need a large pot that holds at least 6 quarts of water. For 5-12 eggs, use 3 1/2 quarts of water. For 1-4 eggs, 2 quarts will do. Always start with COLD water.
Before cooking, use a pin to prick a hole in the large end of the egg, let it go in about 1/4 inch. This lets air out and avoids cracking of the shell while cooking.
Place the eggs in the pan, and add the appropriate amount of COLD water. Set over high heat, and bring just to the boil. As soon as it come to the boil, cover the pan, remove from the heat, and let sit for eggsactly 17 minutes.
Meanwhile, have ready a bowl of ice water in the sink.
When 17 minutes are up, use a slotted spoon, or better yet, a spider (link opens in new window) to remove the eggs from the pot and place them in the ice water. DO NOT drain out the egg cooking water, instead, put the pot back on the stove and bring it back to the boil. The eggs should sit in the ice water for 2 minutes.
Then, transfer the eggs (6 at a time only) to the boiling water, and let boil for 10 seconds. Remove and place back in ice water, cracking the shells in several places (don’t crack them yet if you are planning to use these for coloring Easter eggs). Repeat if you have more than six eggs.
Ideally, you should leave the eggs in the ice water, adding more ice if needed, for at least 15-20 minutes before using. This will not only make the eggs easier to peel, but it does away with that nasty green line you sometimes get with hard-boiled eggs.
And there you have it…perfect hard boiled eggs. This does take a bit more attention than just boiling them, but the results are well worth it. They can be done 2-3 days in advance, and can be stored in water, in the fridge, uncovered.
