Lazy Day Lunches (Salade Nicoise)

I got home from class today, and didn't really feel like making anything (or sifting through left-overs). And then I remembered I'd planned to make a salade nicoise at some point in the next week or so. Today sounded like a good day. For those who don't know what a salade nicoise is here's quick description (unfortunately, there was very little left by the time I remembered I have a camera):

Salad greens, hard boiled egg, nicoise olives, tuna, anchovies (I forgot P likes anchovies too, so I left them out), raw vegetables, olive oil. Most restaurants also include steamed or blanched green beans. Mine was also a variance from the traditional, but no less tasty.

In short, it's a protein-rich salad that can be tossed together in just a few moments if you'd like, or you can spend time cooking the tuna and making it fancier. This to me is really a pantry meal, since I tend to have a lot of pickled and jarred foods laying around for lazy days. You use what's in your pantry, and modify it to suit your tastes.

Salade Nicoise (per serving)

Handful or two salad greens
4-5 pieces each: julienned orange and red bell pepper
Few pieces of chopped palm heart
1 stalk of rough chopped celery
1 tablespoon sliced scallion
1 teaspoon capers, rinsed
small handful cherry tomatoes
1 dolma (this does not fit in the slightest, but I wanted it anyway)
1 hard-boiled egg, peeled and sliced in half
Half a jar tuna (I remember spending a lot less on this tuna; you can sear your own too)
5-6 slices cucumber
2 tablespoons nicoise olives
1-2 tablespoons vinaigrette of choice

Put the greens on the center of the plate. Top with tuna, olives, capers and scallions. Arrange remaining ingredients in piles around the plate so that it looks pretty. Top with dressing; eat.

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