Summer Salad Nicoise With Whole Wheat Croutons

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 32 mins Cook Time: 13 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 large eggs
• 4 slices whole wheat bread
• 8 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 (6 ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts
• 1 (6 1/2 ounce) can tuna
• 1 cup canned chick-peas
• 1 small summer squash
• 1 small zucchini
• 1 medium red bell pepper
• 1/2 head romaine lettuce
• 4 anchovy fillets
• 6 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil
• 6 -8 sprigs fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 8 oil-cured black olives

Recipe

• 1 heat oven to 375 degrees.
• 2 place eggs in small saucepan and add water to cover by 1 inch. heat to boiling, then let stand covered 15 minutes. drain and cool in cold water.
• 3 meanwhile, place bread on cookie sheet and brush 2 t. oil over both sides of bread. bake, turning once, until golden brown, about 12 minutes. let cool, then cut into triangles.
• 4 drain artichoke hearts and tuna. rinse chick peas and pat dry. scrub yellow squash and zucchini, then cut into matchsticks. stem and seed bell pepper and cut into thin strips.
• 5 line large platter with romaine leaves. arrange artichokes, tuna, chick peas, squashes, and bell pepper on romaine.
• 6 rinse anchovies, pat dry, and chop fine. chop sun-dried tomatoes. mince enough parsley to measure 2 t. combine anchovies, tomatoes, and parsley in mixing bowl. whisk in remaining 6 t. oil, the lemon juice, salt, and pepper. drizzle dressing over salad.
• 7 peel and quarter hard-cooked eggs. garnish salad with eggs and olives.
• 8 serve salad with croutons.
• 9 note: to arrange the salad on the platter, i do a pinwheel effect. i put the tuna in the center, surrounded alternately by chick peas, and artichokes. i then make spokes of squash & zucchini strips alternating with pepper strips, with eggs stuffed in between. i then sprinkle the olives over the top.