Mystery Lovers' Kitchen: Deconstructed Nicoise Salad and Lettuce Wrap #recipe from Essie Lang, author

Thursday, August 8, 2019

Deconstructed Nicoise Salad and Lettuce Wrap #recipe from Essie Lang, author

This is an ideal lunch idea for a very hot day. I have proof -- the temperature is in the unbearable range and then there's that humidity to top it off. Summer, yeah1

So, I thought about this very, very easy to pull-together salad idea that one of my super pals, Sue Pike, treated us to at a recent annual writers retreat. Now, I didn't exactly follow her path but I find this is a dish that's really a free-for-all. Just add what suits you or what you have hanging around in the fridge.

It started out as a salad idea but I decided, since I had a really lovely live head of Boston lettuce, that I would turn it into a wrap. So, look at my ingredients, and switch them up to what works better in a salad. For example, I used sliced black olives; whole olives might work for the salad. I also sliced the grape tomatoes in half; whole ones for the other. And the cheese, I used slivers of a delicious 3-year-old cheddar instead of the cute, little, tasty bocconcini I would put in a salad. Also, I left out hard-boiled eggs but they're a must if you go the other route.

One last thought, I think next time I would pre-mix the tuna (out of a can) with some garlic aioli. That does sound good. Also, I forgot to drizzle it all with some extra virgin olive oil. I cannot believe I forgot that!

So, here's what I used to feed one -- me!

What to Use:

2 large Boston lettuce leaves
4 grape tomatoes
1 tbsp. sliced black olives
4 slivers aged cheddar cheese
4 fresh basil leaves
1 can tuna

What to do:

Place all the ingredients on a serving plate, to allow everyone to construct their own salad, or lettuce wrap.

Enjoy! Easy, right?

Now, I'd really love to know what you'd add to this salad.

I'm happy to announce that book #2, DEATH ON THE PAGE, will be released in March, 2020

The first in the Castle Bookshop Mysteries is now available!

TROUBLE ON THE BOOKS

Book #2, DEATH ON THE PAGE

coming March, 2020

Dine out with the DINNER CLUB MYSTERIES

Here's a taste of the reviews for Marinating in Murder, #3:

Wiken’s third entry to the Dinner Club series is a clever twist on the classic whodunit… The book will have you guessing until the very end…. All in all, an intriguing read by Wiken.” – RT Reviews

"Foodies will love this book and this series. Great recipes are included as well....A fun romp of intrigue filled with foodie fun." -- Open Book Society