Sadade Nicoise from "Mediterranean Light"

For the vinaigrette:

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar (to taste)
  • 1 garlic clove, minced or put through a press
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (more to taste)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, parsley, sage tarragon, thyme, chervil-alone or in combination, such as basil with thyme, sage with parsley, tarragon with thyme
  • salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 5 tablespoons plain low-fat yogurt

For the salad:

  • 4 medium-sized new potatoes, scrubbed and diced
  • 1 small head Boston lettuce, leaves separated, washed, and broken into medium to large pieces
  • 1/2 pound carrots, peeled a grated
  • 1 pound tomatoes, sliced
  • 1/2 pound green beans, steamed until crisp-tender
  • 1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced
  • 1 green or red pepper, thinly sliced
  • 2 eggs, hard-cooked, peeled, and sliced
  • 1 61/2 -ounce can water-packed tuna, drained
  • 2 anchovy fillets (canned but not pickled), rinsed and chopped

Steam or boil the potatoes until tender and toss with the vinaigrette in a large salad bowl. Add the remaining vegetables and the eggs to the bowl, crumble in the tuna, add the anchovies, and toss together.
Grilled Fish with Pesto Marinade:
  • fresh swordfish or sea bass
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 lime
  • 1 teaspoon Thai yellow chilli sauce (Gold Label makes a good one)
  • 2 tablespoons virgin olive oil
  • salt

Grind the ingredients (except for the fish) into a paste in a morter and rub over the fish filets thoroughly.

Let sit in the frig for a couple of hours.

Grill five minutes on each side close to the fire, or until inside of fish just begins to turn opaque white

Pinto beans:

  • 1 pound pinto beans
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon tabasco
  • 1 tablespoon cumin power
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Cook the beans in plenty of water with all of the ingredients. When beans are soft and the water has been absorbed, mash slightly to thicken. Add enough salt to bring out the flavor. Serve immediately.