Niçoise-ish Porch Salad with 7-minute Egg

I have been a lifelong fan of what I thought were true niçoise salads: a mix of raw and cooked vegetables, including but not limited to potatoes, green beans, and radishes. I thought tuna, capers, olives, and eggs were the required building blocks of a niçoise salad. I have since learned that the niçoise salad started off much simpler and has evolved into many different iterations.

My version is informed by the produce growing in Charleston and my yearning for a warm, jammy egg that nearly melts into an acidic, herbaceous vinaigrette. Use your imagination, make this salad recipe your own, and, if possible, eat this salad on a summer day on your porch.

Niçoise -ish Porch Salad with 7-minute Egg

Yield: 4 servings

¾ lb mixed baby potatoes

½ lb green beans

4 eggs

1 tablespoon capers, drained and rinsed

Handful of pitted olives, drained (I prefer locally owned Olinda olives)

1 stalk celery, thinly sliced on the diagonal

1 tablespoon chopped celery leaves

Halved cherry tomatoes or other chopped tomatoes

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1 small can unsalted or low-sodium tuna (about 5 oz), drained

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt, to tasteCracked black pepper, to taste

1 teaspoon whole-grain or Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon honey

1 clove garlic, grated

Bring three medium pots of salted water to a boil. Prepare two ice baths in large bowls. In one pot, carefully add the eggs and lower the water to a simmer. Cook for 7 minutes. Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and transfer them to an ice bath. Add more ice if needed.

Cook the potatoes for 7–10 minutes. Drain and set aside. Cook the green beans for 3½ minutes, then drain and transfer them to the second ice bath.

To make the dressing, whisk together the red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, mustard, honey, and garlic.

To assemble the salad, cut the potatoes and green beans into bite-size pieces and combine them in a large bowl with the capers, olives, celery, celery leaves, tomatoes, and parsley. Toss to combine. Carefully add the quartered eggs and tuna. Toss lightly, being careful not to crush the tuna or eggs.

The salad keeps well in the refrigerator for a day or two.