Champagne Leftovers

 

Besides celebrating the New Year with Champagne, why not add some sparkle to your salad dressing? And tuna marinade?

Salad Nicoise with Champagne Dressing

Ingredients for four:

2 T Last night’s Champagne

3/4 C Olive Oil

1/4 C Red Wine Vinegar

Squeeze of fresh lemon

1 t thyme

2 t honey

Sea Salt Fresh & Ground Pepper to taste

Mix the above with fork or small whisk and reserve.

4 handfuls baby arugula

8 small new potatoes, cut into about bite size pieces

2 ripe tomatoes

2 handfuls green beans, cut on diagonal into pieces of about an inch or two

1/2 C toasted walnuts

1/2 C Black Olives, chopped

4 eggs 1/2 Sweet Onion, finely cut

4 grilled tuna steaks (before grilling, it’s nice to marinade in 1/2 C of more of last night’s champagne, 1/2 C olive oil, 2 T soy and a squeeze of lemon).

Use a large pot to boil salted water to make hard boil the eggs. I like to keep it simple and add the potatoes to the same pot after a couple of minutes. If your tomatoes aren’t nicely ripe, carefully use a slotted spoon to dunk them in the hot water for 30 seconds and remove. (If you like, peel the skin away). When eggs and potatoes are almost cooked add green beans to slightly cook. Drain. Remove eggs and Peel. Cut into quarters and set aside. Put the potatoes, green beans, diced tomatoes, chopped olives, walnuts, baby arugula, and onion slices in salad bowl. Toss with dressing. Arrange salad on plate, top with tuna steak and garnish with egg quarters. Serve with good company, baguette and Champagne.

Chin Chin!