Salade Nicoise
1 teaspoon tarragon vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup/60 ml mild olive oil, or half olive oil and half peanut oil  
Lemon juice, if needed
Salt and freshly ground pepper  
About 10 leaves from a head of Bibb lettuce
About 6 fresh basil leaves, shredded
4 ounces/110 g green beans, blanched in salted water, refreshed and drained
6 baby red potatoes, boiled until tender and sliced  
6 cherry tomatoes, halved
3 baby artichoke hearts, cooked and quartered
1 very small purple onion, sliced very thinly and separated into rings  
Handful nicoise olives
2 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and quartered
3 or 4 anchovy fillets
Fleur de sel and freshly ground pepper
Instructions:
For the dressing: Whisk together the vinegar, mustard and garlic. Whisk in the oil, adding it in a thin stream. Taste, and add some lemon juice if the dressing isn't sharp enough. Season with salt and pepper.
For the salad: Toss the lettuce leaves with a very little bit of the dressing and the shredded basil, and arrange on a platter. Toss the green beans, potatoes, tomatoes and artichoke hearts separately in a bit of dressing, and arrange on the platter. Scatter the onions and olives on top. Arrange the eggs and anchovies on top. Season with fleur de sel and pepper.
