Seared Tuna Niçoise Salad

Method

1. Prep components: Blanch and shock haricots verts (→ technique). Boil potatoes until tender, drain. Soft-boil eggs: lower into boiling water, cook exactly 7 min, shock in ice bath, peel.

2. Sear tuna: Pat steaks very dry. Season with salt and pepper. Press sesame seeds onto all sides. Heat oil in a cast iron skillet over high heat until smoking. Sear 45 sec–1 min per side. The exterior should be deeply seared while the interior remains ruby-red and raw. Slice against the grain into 1/4" slices.

3. Compose the salad: This is a composed salad, not a tossed one. Arrange each component in its own section on a large platter or individual plates:

• Bed of greens in the center
• Haricots verts in a neat bundle
• Potatoes in a cluster
• Egg halves (yolk-side up)
• Tomatoes, olives, capers, anchovies in their own areas
• Sliced tuna fanned across the top

4. Dress: Drizzle vinaigrette over the entire platter. Season with flaky salt and pepper.

Equipment

• Cast iron skillet Recommended: Lodge 12-Inch Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet
• Instant-read thermometer Recommended: ThermoWorks ThermoPop 2
• Stainless steel skillet Recommended: Tramontina 12-Inch Tri-Ply Clad Stainless Steel Fry Pan
• Tongs Also good: Wok Spatula

Chef Notes

• The most important thing: Pull at 130°F for medium-rare (it carries over 5°F during rest). Use an instant-read thermometer — color is unreliable.
• Pat the surface completely dry before it hits the pan. Moisture is the enemy of a good sear — it creates steam instead of crust.
• Taste as you go and adjust seasoning at the end. Salt levels change as liquids reduce and flavors concentrate.
• If you're unsure about doneness, use an instant-read thermometer. It removes all guesswork and costs less than one ruined dinner.

Common Substitutions

Ingredient	Substitution	Notes
Butter	Ghee or olive oil	Ghee for similar richness. Olive oil for dairy-free.
Potatoes	Sweet potatoes or cauliflower	Sweet potatoes add sweetness. Cauliflower for low-carb.

What You're Learning

• Searing rare tuna: the highest heat, shortest time. The goal is crust without cooking the interior.
• Composed salad plating: each element is placed intentionally, not tossed together. The diner sees every component.
• Soft-boiled eggs: timing precision. 7 minutes = jammy yolk. 6 min = very runny. 8 min = nearly hard.
• This dish is a showcase of Ch.01 skills (blanching, vinaigrette, knife cuts) applied to a Ch.03 protein
• Niçoise is a study in contrasts: warm tuna, cool vegetables, creamy egg, briny olives, sharp vinaigrette

Foundations Referenced

• → Classic Vinaigrette — shallot variation
• → Blanching and Shocking
• → Knife cuts

What You're Practicing

Blanching — briefly boiling then shocking in ice water — sets color, tenderizes texture, and removes bitterness from vegetables. It's the prep technique behind every perfectly green vegetable in professional kitchens. Visit Techniques for more on vegetable preparation.

Searing teaches the Maillard reaction — the chemical transformation that creates hundreds of flavor compounds on the surface of proteins and vegetables when exposed to high, dry heat. This same technique applies to steaks, scallops, tofu, and any ingredient where a golden-brown crust is the goal. Visit Techniques for more on high-heat cooking.