Home >Recipes >Napa Nicoise

Serves: 8

• For the tuna:
• two 7-oz (200 gram) cans imported Italian olive oil–packed tuna, drained
• 4 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 4 tsp soy sauce
• 4 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp plus 2 tsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
• finely ground sea salt, preferably gray salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp heavy cream
• For the vinaigrette:
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp minced thyme
• 1/2 tsp finely ground sea salt, preferably gray salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• For the asparagus:
• 2 lbs asparagus spears, tough ends removed
• 1 cup cold water
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp finely ground sea salt, preferably gray salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

• For the potatoes:
• sixteen small (about 2-ozs each) yellow new potatoes, scrubbed clean
• 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp finely ground sea salt, preferably gray salt
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 whole garlic cloves
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp minced fresh thyme
• 1/2 pint Sweet 100 tomatoes, stemmed
• 6 hard cooked eggs cut in quarters
• 2/3 cup oil-cured olives
• 2/3 cup caper berries or 1/2 cup drained capers

Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 35 minutes

Prepare the potatoes. Place the potatoes in a large pot. Cover the potatoes with water by 1 inch. Add 1 tbsp of salt. Bring the water to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are tender, about 10 to 12 minutes. Drain the potatoes. Allow them cool. Prepare the tuna. Put the tuna in a food processor and pulse to break up the fish. With the machine running, add the lemon juice, soy sauce and balsamic vinegar. Add the butter and blend until smooth, then stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the processor bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper and blend again.

Check the seasoning, then add the heavy cream and pulse to blend. Be careful not to over blend once the cream is added or the mixture may break. Serve at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days. If refrigerated, return the spuma to room temperature before serving. Makes 1 1/2 cups.

Make the vinaigrette. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, mustard, thyme, salt and pepper. Whisk to dissolve the salt. Slowly whisk in the oil to create a smooth emulsion. Set aside. Cook the asparagus. In a large skillet over high heat, combine the asparagus, water, oil, salt and pepper. Cover the skillet. Cook until the asparagus are cooked but not soft, about 6 minutes. Spread them out on a baking sheet to cool. Pour the liquid in the skillet over the asparagus. Cut the potatoes into quarters. In one or two large skillets over high heat, heat the oil. Just before the oil begins to smoke, add the potatoes in one layer with one of the cut-sides down. Do not stir, but occasionally tilt the pan to evenly distribute the oil. Cook until the potatoes begin to brown on one side, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, the remaining tsp of salt, the pepper and thyme. Stir the potatoes once then use tongs to turn each potato so that the other cut side faces down and continue to cook until the other cut-side begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Make the salad. In a small serving bowl, combine the tomatoes and olives. Whisk the vinaigrette again and pour into a separate serving bowl. On a large platter arrange the quartered eggs, seasoned with cracked pepper and gray salt, potatoes, asparagus, caper berries and tuna in separate piles, leaving room for the tomato and vinaigrette bowls. Serve while the potatoes are warm.