(Tuna) Salad Niçoise

Ingredients

• 1 small onion (red if available)
• 225 g (8 oz) French beans, lightly cooked (optional)
• 50 g (2 oz) button mushrooms, sliced (optional)
• 1 avocado, stoned and cut into cubes (optional)
• 225 g (8 oz) firm tomatoes, quartered
• ¼ cucumber, cubed
• 1 crisp lettuce
• 200 g (7 oz) can tuna, drained and flaked
• 2 eggs, hard-boiled and quartered
• 50 g (2 oz) small black olives
• 50 g (2 oz) can of anchovy fillets

For the dressing

• 4 tbs olive oil
• 2 tbs red wine vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• salt and pepper

To make the dressing, put all the ingredients into a screw-top jar and shake vigorously. Slice the onion and separate it into rings. Put it in a salad bowl with the beans, mushrooms, avocado, tomatoes and cucumber. Pour over half the dressing and toss together.

Arrange the lettuce, tuna, eggs, olives and anchovies decoratively on top. Trickle the remaining dressing over the salad.