As the weather gets warmer, I find the appeal of fresh and crunchy vegetables with citrus flavours gets just that little bit higher. This dish is really easy, quite cheap to prepare if you shop at an asian grocer and you can adapt as you wish.

If you've never loved a Nicoise, you've never had it with good tuna and dressing. Simply fantastic.

Ingredients

1 small baguette (1–2 days old preferably) 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil salt and pepper 1 garlic clove, peeled 2 large eggs 20 green beans, trimmed and tailed 4 small tomatoes (fresh, semidried or confit) 4 small kipfler potatoes, boiled and sliced into discs 4 teaspoons small capers 1 red onion, cut into 5 mm (1/4 in) rings 50 g (2 oz) olives 200ml (7 fl oz) olive oil 40ml (1½ fl oz) sherry vinegar 4 x 100g (3½ oz) fish fillets (tuna, red mullet or kingfish) 4 tablespoons baby rocket 1 lemon, halved

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350°F). Slice the baguette into 1 cm (1/2 in) thick slices and lay on a flat baking tray. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 5–6 minutes, then remove from oven and rub slices with the garlic clove. 2. Put the eggs in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Take out after 6 minutes, when the yolks will still