Nicoise-Style Pan Bagnats

A recipe from Rachael Ray posted for ZWT / France.

• Ready In: 25 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2  ripe  lemons, juice of
• 1  shallot, peeled and grated
• 1  tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1  teaspoon  dried  herbes de provence or 1  teaspoon thyme
• 1⁄3-1⁄2 cup extra virgin olive oil
•  salt and pepper
• 2  small  red potatoes, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1⁄4 lb  thin green beans, trimmed and cut into thirds (about a handful)
• 1⁄2 small red bell pepper, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
•  about 1/4 cup nicoise olive, pitted and chopped
• 1  small  head bibb lettuce, torn
• 2  ripe plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 2  celery ribs, finely chopped
• 1⁄2 small red onion, very thinly sliced and chopped
•  two 6-ounce cans imported tuna, drained and flaked
• 2  hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
• 4  sprigs tarragon, leaves stripped and chopped
• 2  French baguettes, halved and split to make four 8- to 10-inch-long sections

Directions

1. In a large salad bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, shallot, mustard and dried herbs. Whisk in the olive oil to combine.
2. Bring 2 inches of water to a boil in a small, high-sided skillet or saucepan. Salt the water, add the potatoes and green beans and cook for 4 minutes; add the bell pepper during the last minute of cooking. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables to a colander and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking; drain. Add the cooked vegetables to the salad bowl, along with the olives, lettuce, tomatoes, celery and onion. Add the tuna, eggs and tarragon and toss the salad to coat evenly with the dressing; season with pepper. To serve, pack the salad into the baguettes.