I know I said recently that my favorite salad is the chopped salad that we wrote about. That’s true, but not entirely.

See the thing about favorite salads is that one can have a favorite type of salad. For my favorite chopped salad, the precise components don’t matter as much as the idea behind it: some veggies, chicken, balsamic vinaigrette.

This salad is my mom’s favorite. If there’s ever a salad on the menu with seared tuna and lemon vinaigrette, she’s guaranteed to order it. The other ingredients may flux, but the key elements that make it her favorite are there.

This version of that salad happens to be particularly delightful. The green beans lend it a nicoise edge, and the fennel adds a sweet complexity. We love olives so added them, but you can do capers or peppers instead.

Also, feel free to cook the tuna to your preference. My mom would probably prefer it raw completely, so we left the middle very pink, which also makes the salad look just a touch prettier.

Ingredients (serves 4):
8 oz. mixed greens
1 1/2-2 lbs. tuna
1/4 lb. string beans
2 bulbs small fennel, sliced very thinly
1/2 cup olives, pits removed
salt and pepper

(dressing)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
Cut the tuna into four pieces, and salt and pepper each of the pieces on both sides. Preheat grill, then place tuna on the grill until cooked to your taste (about three minutes on each side should cook it to rare). Blanch the green beans by placing them in boiling water for about three minutes, then removing them and rinsing. Arrange greens on four plates, then divide green beans, fennel and olives among plates. Let tuna rest for about 5 minutes, then slice it and divide among plates. Whisk together dressing ingredients, then pour dressing over salad.