Salade nicoise

Julienne the bell peppers, cutting them from the inside out; slice the cucumber.

Have the mise en place ready: potatoes cooked, radishes cleaned, olives, anchovies and peppers ready, lettuce washed and patted dry, green beans blanched and cold.

For the dressing, put the salt and ground pepper in a bowl (grind the mill one way only), add the vinegar to dissolve the salt, then whisk in the olive oil. Reserve.

Plate on a large platter for the table, or in individual bowls or soup plates; lay a few butter lettuce leaves on the bottom.

Peel the potato, remove the eyes, slice a quarter inch thick and place in the salad.

Make a bed of pepper julienne; halve a few green beans and place them as a bundle beside the potatoes.

Core the tomato and cut it into wedges; quarter the eggs, cleaning the knife between cuts.

Fill the bottom with cucumber to give height, then alternate tomato and egg; add a few separated slices of onion.

For fresh tuna, set the rack on the oven's highest level and turn the broiler on high. Add radishes, halved if big, and a few leaves.

Cut the tuna loin in half and into thin steaks so it cooks fast; set on a tray, season with a pinch of salt and a little pepper, and brush with olive oil.

Broil the tuna about 45 seconds for rare, at the last minute, and set it over the salad.

Wrap an anchovy around a black olive (a 'rat tail') and set it on the tuna; add more anchovies around.

Roll the basil and cut it into chiffonade just before serving, about two large leaves per person, so it does not turn brown; sprinkle over.

Mix the dressing well and pour over; add the red onions. With canned tuna the salad can be assembled ahead, adding dressing and basil just before serving.