Seared Tuna Niçoise Skewers with Anchovy Aioli

Salade Niçoise — the composed salad from the Côte d'Azur — is assembled on a skewer as a single dramatic bite: a quail egg, haricots verts, cherry tomato, Niçoise olive, and a cube of briefly seared bluefin or yellowfin tuna, all dipped into a punchy anchovy-garlic aioli. Every element that makes the classic salad work is present; the only thing that changes is the format.

The sear on the tuna is the key — 30 seconds per face maximum, leaving the center pink and cool. A seared-through cube of tuna is not what anyone at a party is hoping for. Cold center, hot exterior, immediate service.

Ingredients (makes 24 skewers): - 12 oz sushi-grade tuna loin (yellowfin or bigeye), cut into 1-inch cubes - 24 quail eggs, hard-boiled and halved (or use 6 regular eggs, quartered) - 7 oz haricots verts (very thin French green beans), blanched and halved - 24 mixed cherry tomatoes (red and yellow) - 48 Niçoise olives, pitted (the small, brine-cured black olives from Nice — not Kalamata) - 24 cocktail skewers or 6-inch bamboo picks - 2 tablespoons olive oil for searing - Flaky sea salt and cracked black pepper

Anchovy Aioli: - 4 oil-packed anchovy fillets (best quality — Ortiz or Agostino Recca brands) - 2 garlic cloves - 2 egg yolks - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard - 1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice - ½ cup extra virgin olive oil + ¼ cup neutral oil - Salt and white pepper

Tuna Seasoning: - 1 tablespoon herbes de Provence - 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt - ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper

Anchovy Aioli: In a food processor, blend anchovy fillets and garlic to a smooth paste. Add egg yolks, mustard, and lemon juice; process until combined. With the machine running, add oils in a thin, steady stream until an emulsified, thick aioli forms. Season with salt and white pepper. Taste — the anchovy should be present but not overwhelming; the garlic should be forward; the lemon should provide bright balance. (Can be made 3 days ahead; refrigerate.)

Quail Eggs: Place quail eggs in cold water, bring to a boil, cook exactly 2 minutes 30 seconds, transfer to ice bath, peel carefully. Halve lengthwise.

Haricots Verts: Blanch in heavily salted boiling water 90 seconds. Transfer to ice bath. Drain and pat dry.

Tuna: Season tuna cubes on all sides with herbes de Provence, salt, and pepper. Heat a heavy skillet over maximum heat. Add a thin film of olive oil. Sear tuna cubes on two faces only, 25–30 seconds per face — the exterior should be seared white-golden, the interior still deeply red and cool. Remove immediately.

Assembly: Thread each skewer: olive, haricots verts bundle (2–3 beans folded), cherry tomato, quail egg half, seared tuna cube, and a second olive. Arrange on a chilled platter. Serve aioli in a small bowl alongside for dipping, or pipe a small dot onto each tuna cube before serving.

Reference Links: - Ortiz anchovy fillets: Conservas Ortiz

Make-Ahead: Aioli (3 days, refrigerated); quail eggs (2 days, peeled, refrigerated in water); blanched beans (4 hours); assembled skewers without tuna (2 hours, refrigerated). Sear tuna to order — never in advance.

Pro Tips: The sear on the tuna is everything — 30 seconds maximum per face. A seared-through tuna cube is grey, dry, and disappointing. A barely-seared cube with a cool pink center has the texture and flavor that justifies using sushi-grade fish. Niçoise olives (DOP-certified from Nice and surrounds) have a specific flavor — earthy, slightly bitter, subtly fruity — that Kalamata olives do not replicate; use the right olive.