Have you ever heard that Frank Sinatra song “I did it my way”?  it goes something like this

And now, the end is near,
And so I face the final curtain.
My friends, I’ll say it clear;
I’ll state my case of which I’m certain.

I’ve lived a life that’s full –
I’ve travelled each and every highway.
And more, much more than this,
I did it my way.

Regrets? I’ve had a few,
But then again, too few to mention.
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption.

I planned each charted course –
Each careful step along the byway,
And more, much more than this,
I did it my way.

Yes, there were times, I’m sure you knew,
When I bit off more than I could chew,
But through it all, when there was doubt,
I ate it up and spit it out.
I faced it all and I stood tall
And did it my way.

I’ve loved, I’ve laughed and cried,
I’ve had my fill – my share of losing.
But now, as tears subside,
I find it all so amusing.

To think I did all that,
And may I say, not in a shy way –
Oh no. Oh no, not me.
I did it my way.

For what is a man? What has he got?
If not himself – Then he has naught.
To say the things he truly feels
And not the words of one who kneels.
The record shows I took the blows
And did it my way.

To me, one of the greatest joys of cooking is doing things YOUR way. Changing a recipe a bet, adding that secret ingredient that makes everyone go “hmmmm what’s that yummy hint in the background?” and you would shrug, smile and say nothing.It is that signature you leave in all your dishes that makes them your own.

I’m not a coffee person but I have a friend who is and she swears that there are no two identical cups of coffee..sort of like snowflakes..She says that whenever someone makes a cup of  coffee they put a little bet of themselves in it..some do it from the heart and some from the back of their hands and it makes all the difference… I couldn’t agree more.

This is my take on salad nicoise, it is the ultimate combination of crunch, color and flavor. The dressing ties everything together and adds a delicious tang.It works beautifully as a side dish or a light  lunch.

Shredded lettuce leaves

potatoes cut into cubes

2 boiled eggs

green beans

Pitted olives

Smoked tuna

Tomatoes (deseeded and cut into strips)

For the dressing

2  tablespoons vinegar

1 tablespoon mustard

1/4 cup olive oil

Pinch salt

1 tablespoon dried oregano or basil

To prepare the dressing whisk the vinegar and mustard, slowly drizzle the oil while whisking (you do that to prevent the dressing from splitting, you want the oil to be incorporated with the rest of the ingredients)

Add the salt and oregano, whisk, set aside.

Steam the green beans  or boil them for 10 minutes then immerse in cold water to keep the color.

Boil the eggs (here you find my way to a perfectly boiled egg without dark hallows)

Boil the potatoes in salted water untill they are done…allow them to cool. 

Toss the lettuce, green beans,tomatoes, olives, tuna and potatoes together.

Arrange in plate, decorate with quartered eggs

Drizzle with dressing and dive in 🙂