Title: The real salad nicoise
 Categories: Salads, Seafood
      Yield: 6 Servings
 
     10 md Tomatoes; quartered
           Salt
     12    Anchovy fillets OR
      2 cn (6 oz) tuna
      1 lb Baby fava beans OR
     12    Baby artichokes
      1    Clove garlic; halve
           -lengthwise
      1    Cucumber; peel/thin slice
      2    Green bell peppers;
           -seeded/very thinly sliced
      6 sm Onions; thin slice
      3    Hard-cooked eggs; quartered
  3 1/2 oz Nicoise olives
      6 tb Extra-virgin olive oil
      6    Basil leaves; fine chop
           Fresh ground black pepper
 
  1. Place tomatoes on platter; lightly salt. If using anchovies, cut
  each fillet into 3 or 4 pieces; if using tuna, drain and shred
  coarsely.
  
  2. Blanch fava beans, if using, in boiling water 30 seconds, then
  drain and rinse well in cold water. Slip beans out of skins by
  grasping each one by grooved end and squeezing gently. Cut stems off
  artichoke, if using, pull off tough outer leaves by hand, and trim a
  few more layers of leaves with sharp knife. Scoop out chokes and cut
  artichokes into thin slices.
  
  3. Rub bottom and sides of large salad bowl with garlic pieces;
  discard. Arrange anchovies or tuna, favas or artichokes (or neither),
  cucumber; green pepper; onions, eggs and olives in bowl. Drain
  tomatoes, salt again, and add to bowl.
  
  4. Make dressing with olive oil, basil, salt and pepper. Refrigerate
  both salad and dressing about 1 hour before serving; drizzle dressing
  over salad and serve.