Summer Night's Salad

Name: Summer Night's Salad
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 6 cups summer greens (mesclun, arugula, spinach or others); 12 asparagus spears, trimmed to 3 inches, parboiled for 7 minutes, then cooled; 1/4 pound haricots verts, parboiled with asparagus for 4 minutes, then cooled; 6 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half; 1/2 small bulb fennel, sliced very thin; 6 mild pickled okra pods, sliced lengthwise into quarters; 1 Kirby cucumber, sliced thin; 12 or so good-quality black olives, like calamata or gaeta, pitted; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar; 1 tablespoon olive oil or mustard oil; Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste; 2 cups tuna salad (see recipe)

By Toby Cecchini

Updated May 22, 2024

Total Time: 15 minutes
Rating: 4(27)
Comments: Read comments

This salad is light but fulsome, a scoop of punched-up tuna paired with the summer's best greens and some carefully considered vegetables. Serve a soft cow or goat's milk cheese on the side with some crusty bread and a crisp, chilled rosé to cut into it all. The goal is this: On a sweltering night, dinner must leave enough room for fresh peaches and vanilla ice cream, a fitting reward for finishing your vegetables.

Featured in: FOOD; Assembly Required

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

6cups summer greens (mesclun, arugula, spinach or others)
12asparagus spears, trimmed to 3 inches, parboiled for 7 minutes, then cooled
¼pound haricots verts, parboiled with asparagus for 4 minutes, then cooled
6ounces cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half
½small bulb fennel, sliced very thin
6mild pickled okra pods, sliced lengthwise into quarters
1Kirby cucumber, sliced thin
12or so good-quality black olives, like calamata or gaeta, pitted
1tablespoon lemon juice
1tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1tablespoon olive oil or mustard oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2cups tuna salad (see recipe)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Build salads to order on four large plates. Start with a small handful of greens for each plate and divide the asparagus, haricots verts, tomatoes, fennel, okra, cucumber and olives accordingly.
Step 2
Drizzle the salads with the lemon juice, balsamic vinegar and olive or mustard oil and season with salt and pepper.
Step 3
Mound spoonfuls of the tuna in the center of each salad. Serve with sliced bread and a good soft cheese.

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