Tuna Poke Nicoise Recipe

Prepare tuna

Pat the sushi-grade ahi tuna dry with paper towels. Trim any sinew and cut into 1/2-inch cubes; place the cubes in a medium mixing bowl.

Make marinade

In a small bowl whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, grated ginger, sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds, kosher salt and black pepper until combined.

Pour the marinade over the cubed tuna and gently toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 10–20 minutes (do not marinate longer than 30 minutes to preserve texture).

Combine pitted black olives, minced shallot, drained capers, red wine vinegar, lemon juice and honey in a blender or food processor. Pulse until finely chopped but still slightly textured.

With the motor running, stream in the 3 tbs extra-virgin olive oil to emulsify into a glossy vinaigrette. Taste and season with black pepper; adjust salt only if needed (olives and capers add saltiness). Transfer to a small bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 275°F (135°C). In a small baking dish, combine halved cherry tomatoes, sliced garlic, 4 tbs olive oil, thyme sprigs, kosher salt and black pepper. Toss to coat.

Roast low and slow for 45–60 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until tomatoes are soft, slightly collapsed and the oil is fragrant. Remove thyme sprigs and let cool to room temperature.

Cook potatoes: Place new potatoes in a pot, cover with cold salted water, bring to a simmer and cook until just tender when pierced with a knife, about 12–15 minutes depending on size. Drain and let cool slightly, then halve or quarter.

Blanch green beans: Bring a separate pot of salted water to a boil, add trimmed green beans and cook 2–3 minutes until bright green and crisp-tender. Immediately plunge into an ice bath to stop cooking; drain and pat dry.

Cook edamame if using frozen: boil for 3–4 minutes in salted water, drain and cool. If using prepared edamame, ensure warmed or cooled as desired.

Wash and dry bib lettuce leaves; arrange leaves on serving plates as a bed for the salad.

Place a bed of bib lettuce on each plate. Arrange portions of potatoes, green beans, edamame and tomato confit around the lettuce in small clusters (this echoes Niçoise styling).

Spoon marinated poke tuna in the center or slightly off-center of the composed salad. Drizzle 1–2 tbsp of black olive vinaigrette over the tuna and a light drizzle over vegetables—reserve extra vinaigrette to serve at the table.

Scatter rinsed capers, halved cherry tomatoes and quartered hard-cooked eggs around the plate. Finish with flaky sea salt, a grind of black pepper and a sprinkle of microgreens or chopped parsley. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.

If desired, offer additional soy sauce or vinaigrette at the table. Consume within 1–2 hours for best texture of the poke; do not store tuna mixed with vinaigrette for long periods.