Summer Nicoise Salad

• This is a dish of many components that are all prepped in advance. It's worth the effort!

For the Vinaigrette

• Combine the vinegars, shallots, dijon, along with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp ground black pepper. Shake in a mason jar with a lid, then slowly whisk in the olive oil. Leave at room temp if using within a few hours, otherwise, keep in the fridge but give time to loosen up on the counter before serving - about 30 mins.

For the Tuna

• Coat the tuna steak in a thin layer of olive oil, then season liberally with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. If cooking on a grill, bring to a medium high heat, and sear on each side about 3-4 minutes, depending on the thickness of the steak. You will know to flip when the sides start to turn in color from red to a light grey. If using a skillet (I prefer cast iron for this due to its high heating consistency) preheat the pan to medium high and sear on both sides - same time as if grilling, about 3-4 minutes.

  You may need to tent the tuna with tinfoil while cooking to prevent smoke and help heat through evenly. I like tuna seared fairly rare - add time to the cooking as needed to reach your desired temperature.
• When done cooking, set to the side and let cool to room temp, or if using later, keep in fridge until ready to serve. Don't slice until ready to serve. I like thick slices against the grain.

For the shrimp - if not cooked...

• My favorite way to cook shrimp is to grill it quickly over relatively high heat, after coating with olive oil, salt and pepper. You need larger sized shrimp (16-20 count or bigger) to make sure they don't fall between the grates. Squeeze fresh lemon juice on them after cooking - they take literally 2-3 minutes total!

For the Hard Boiled Eggs

• Bring a medium saucepan filled with water to a full boil, then add the eggs carefully, cooking for 8 minutes. Immediately add to an ice bath and fully cool before peeling. Leave them in the shell until ready to serve to keep fresh.

The Vegetables (Grill or Roast)

• Trim the woody ends off the asparagus. Slice any large fingerling potatoes in half, leaving them about 1 inch in size each. Strip the corn cobs of their husks and trim the ends. Throw the potatoes and corn on a 1/2 sheet pan - coat everything with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Place the asparagus on another sheet pan, or reserve for use after cooking the potatoes and corn, also coating with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
• If Roasting, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Keep the potatoes and corn on the sheet pan, roast, turning half way through, for about 22-25 mintues until cooked through and slightly carmelized. Remove from the pan, and roast the asparagus for about 5-7 minutes until tender but still somewhat crisp.

  If grilling, preheat the grill to a medium high heat. Prepare the vegetables as mentioned above and cook everything until tender crisp, as you would with roasting.
• Set aside until ready to serve

Salad assembly and serving

• Slice the tuna steak into strips. Cut the corn off the cob, and slice the tomatoes into bite size chunks, seasoning with salt and pepper. Toss the salad greens with some of the dressing in a medium sized bowl. Peel the eggs, and slice into halves.
• On a large platter or cutting board, start to arrange all the ingredients in clusters, allowing people to choose what they want in sections. Group the potatoes, tomatoes, corn, tuna slices, shrimp, greens, drained artichoke and olives, as well as the hard boiled eggs. Chop the basil, chives and thyme, and coat the salad liberally with the dressing, topping with the herbs. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and enjoy at your leisure - this one sits well!