Romaine Salad With Tuna, White Beans, And Greek Olives

The ingredients in this Mediterranean salad pack a powerful nutritional punch. A cousin to the similar Salade Nicoise, the lettuce adds fiber, and the tuna and beans add texture and even more protein to this super-healthy salad. The dressing has lowered amounts of vinegar and mustard and just a small amount of oregano for flavor.

• 2 red bell peppers
• 4 hearts of romaine lettuce, separated into leaves, uncut
• 4 cans (6.5 ounces each) Albacore white tuna in water, drained
• 1 can (about 15 ounces), great northern beans, drained well
• 32 Kalamata or other Greek olives
• 2 tablespoons drained capers
• 1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
• 16 anchovy fillets (as tolerated)

Dressing

• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped oregano (or 1/2 tsp. dry)
• Kosher salt to taste
• Lemon wedges, optional

1. Roast peppers: Preheat broiler. Place peppers directly on an upper rack of the oven (about 6 inches from the top) with a cookie sheet on the rack just below to capture juices. Roast the peppers, turning them with tongs, until skin are blackened all around, about 10 minutes or more. Remove them from the oven and wrap them in foil to cool for at least 10 minutes. Scrape away and remove most of the peppers' peel with your hands, remove seeds, and cut the peppers into thin strips. Set aside.
2. Make dressing: Combine all dressing ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk well. Set aside.
3. Arrange salad: Arrange uncut romaine leaves on 8 individual dinner plates. Set aside
4. Place tuna in a medium bowl and gently break into pieces (do not mash). Arrange the tuna over the core-end (whiter part) of the romaine leaves.
5. Sprinkle beans over the tuna and lettuce. Arrange the olives around the plate and sprinkle the capers over all
6. Carefully spoon the dressing over the salad and sprinkle parsley over all
7. Arrange two anchovies over the salad, if using. Serve with lemon wedges, if using.

Make 8 servings