Salad Nicoise

Hot summer days and picnics call for a cool salad - try salad Niçoise, a classic French/Mediterranean staple.  Greens, eggs, potatoes, olives, and usually some fish (read: tuna or other; here I use poached salmon - my favorite). 
4 cups salad greens
2 ripe tomatoes, quartered
1/2 cup pitted Calamata olives
1/2 cup pitted green Castelvitrano olives
1/2 cup crumbled feat cheese
1 lb salmon fillet, skinned, cut into four portions
4 eggs
1/2 lb fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 lb baby Yukon gold potatoes

Dressing:
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Juice of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
Fresh ground pepper

Bring a quart of water to boil in a pot.  Salt it well and add the potatoes.  Return to a boil and cook for about 3 minutes.  Add the eggs and cook for 7 minutes.  Then add the green beans and cook another 5 minutes. This gives 15 minutes for the potatoes, 12 minutes for the eggs and 5 minutes for the green beans.  Check the potatoes with the tip of a knife, to see that they have softened enough and are ready to be eaten.  If not, cook just a bit longer.  Remove the eggs to a bowl of ice water, and drain the potatoes and beans.  Allow to cool to room temperature. When the eggs are cooled, peel and slice in half. Cut potatoes in half.

Meanwhile pour about an inch or water into a large skillet.  Salt water and bring to a boil.  Add small fillets and cover. Poach the salmon for 5-7 minutes, just until the fish is cooked.  Remove with a slotted spatula to a plate, and allow to cool to room temperature.

Whisk together the dressing.  Line four plates with salad greens.  Place salmon in center and distribute olives, eggs, tomatoes, green beans and potatoes around edge. Drizzle with dressing and serve with lemon wedges.  Top with feta cheese if you like.

Serves 2, or 4 if you serve with bread and fruit.

For a lighter side dish, ditch the fish and potatoes but keep the olives!