A hunk of bread, a bottle of wine, and this salad take you to the south of France 🙂 We eat this late summer, when the potatoes and green beans come in. 

Vinagrette
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp dijon mustard
2 Tbsp red wine vineger
2 Tbsp lemon juice
salt, pepper
3/4 cup olive oil

Whisk all but oil until blended. Add oil while whisking. Let stand 30 minutes. Discard garlic.

Salad
1lb small potatoes
4 eggs
1/2lb green beans
1 head lettuce, torn
1 red or green pepper, ringed
1/2 cherry tomatoes, sliced
1 med cucumber, peeled and sliced
12 oz tuna (2 cans)
3/4 cup Nicoise or other brined olives
1 scallion, chopped
2 Tbsp parsley, chopped
1 Tbsp capers

-Place potatoes in a pot with water to cover.  Bring to boil, add salt to taste. Reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes. When tender, drain, cool slightly and coat lightly with vinagrette. Season with salt and pepper, set aside.
-Cover eggs with water, bring to full boil. After 1 minute, cover and turn off heat. Let stand 6 minutes. Rinse, transfer to ice bath. When cool, peel.
-Blanch green beans in salted water to crisp tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain, rinse and transfer to an ice bath.
-Arrange lettuce in the middle of a large platter. Arrange the potatoes in the middle, surrounded by green beans.
– Place the peppers, tomatoes, cucmbers, tuna, sliced eggs and olives in small piles across from each other (look for balance)
– Sprinkle with scallions, parsley,and capers. Drizzle with vinagrette, and serve remainder alongside.

Enjoy!