This is one of my favorite meals anytime of year, but especially in the summer when fresh greens are so plentiful. It requires some prep, but is easy to put together once that is done.
Earlier in the day, I prepared four of the ingredients. I hardboiled and shelled two eggs. I boiled a handful of baby potatoes and cooled in the fridge. I shocked two handfuls of green beans. This involved cooking the beans in boiling water for 4-5 minutes and then draining and shocking them in an ice water bath, which stopped the cooking, and the beans are left al dente. I cooked the tuna steaks medium and set aside to cool before slicing them.
When I ready to assemble the salad, here is what I put together - salad greens, beans, halved baby potatoes, and kalamata olives dressed in a simple vinaigrette. I plated the salad and then on top of each laid the sliced hardboiled egg, anchovy fillets, and the sliced tuna steak. It was a beautiful sight to behold and so delicious.
A few notes - I ordered this a restaurant recently and the waiter seemed apologetic about the anchovies. In fact, they only added them when requested. I thought that was very sad. Most people think anchovies are fishy when really their defining characteristic is a wonderful saltiness. Also when I am in a hurry, I use canned tuna, drained and flaked. Sliced cherry tomatoes are also a traditional part of the meal but neither one of us likes them. I thought that I could have added some fresh salsa instead for something a little different but we were out.
I love food. I love making it, eating it, looking at it, listening to others talk about it, planning a menu, and writing about it. When I travel, I take food photos. Food brings me joy and it I only have a little money left to spent, I want to buy good food with it. Lately, I began thinking I should write some of my meals down so I have an easy reference. The one place where I can't lose them is the internet, and thus a blog is born.
We are committed to healthy eating. My husband and I always thought we were eating well. In retrospect, it was not as good as I thought. Russ had a heart attack at age 43 which completely changed our food trajectory. We rarely, if ever, eat meat now. Our diet is mostly vegetarian with lots of fish, eggs, and the occasional chicken. Our only dairy is nonfat plain Greek yogurt and sprinkling of a hard cheese for flavor (not melting). Bread is at a minimum. We eat lots of greens, fruit, and nuts. If someone thinks that this sounds awfully boring, it rarely is and we are not draconian in our eating. The trick is to know when to splurge (on a homemade piece of bread or a good piece of chorizo) I use lots of seasonings and am not afraid to use good fats.
I will not be using annoying acronyms like EVOO and it will not take long to see that I am a big Trader Joe's fan. What I am not a fan of is following long complicated recipes. More often than not, I don't even use one. Sometimes it flops but most of the time it turns out pretty darn good. I will not be counting calories but have always looked for ways to trim fat and sugar without sacrificing taste. Not everything will be perfect or lowfat, but that is what treats are for.
I am inspired by Julia Child who was the epitome of simplicity and grace. By my mom who taught me to cook by letting me cook myself and can put together a superb meal without cracking a cookbook. By my sister-in-law Sue who makes the prettiest poached egg I've ever seen and believes in the importance of plating well. If it looks good, it will taste even better.
Because I am still a step or two behind technologically and because most of the time I cook, I am hungry, I will most likely not take photos of every meal in this blog. However, hopefully I can provide enough of a descriptive narrative so that the reader can almost see and taste it!
We are committed to healthy eating. My husband and I always thought we were eating well. In retrospect, it was not as good as I thought. Russ had a heart attack at age 43 which completely changed our food trajectory. We rarely, if ever, eat meat now. Our diet is mostly vegetarian with lots of fish, eggs, and the occasional chicken. Our only dairy is nonfat plain Greek yogurt and sprinkling of a hard cheese for flavor (not melting). Bread is at a minimum. We eat lots of greens, fruit, and nuts. If someone thinks that this sounds awfully boring, it rarely is and we are not draconian in our eating. The trick is to know when to splurge (on a homemade piece of bread or a good piece of chorizo) I use lots of seasonings and am not afraid to use good fats.
I will not be using annoying acronyms like EVOO and it will not take long to see that I am a big Trader Joe's fan. What I am not a fan of is following long complicated recipes. More often than not, I don't even use one. Sometimes it flops but most of the time it turns out pretty darn good. I will not be counting calories but have always looked for ways to trim fat and sugar without sacrificing taste. Not everything will be perfect or lowfat, but that is what treats are for.
I am inspired by Julia Child who was the epitome of simplicity and grace. By my mom who taught me to cook by letting me cook myself and can put together a superb meal without cracking a cookbook. By my sister-in-law Sue who makes the prettiest poached egg I've ever seen and believes in the importance of plating well. If it looks good, it will taste even better.
Because I am still a step or two behind technologically and because most of the time I cook, I am hungry, I will most likely not take photos of every meal in this blog. However, hopefully I can provide enough of a descriptive narrative so that the reader can almost see and taste it!
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