Brown Rice Salade Nicoise

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup red onion, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 (6 ounce) can tuna in olive oil, undrained
• 3 cups cooked short-grain brown rice or cooked barley or cooked cracked farro
• 1 small red bell pepper or yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1/3 cup pitted oil-cured black olive, chopped
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed and minced
• 1-3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)
• 1-2 tablespoon olive oil (optional)
• 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley or fresh tarragon, minced
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon thyme, chopped (optional)
• salt, to taste
• fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 6 cups romaine lettuce, loosely packed and shredded
• radicchio, shredded and mixed with romaine (optional)
• 1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed and steamed and cooled
• 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved

Directions

1. 1

   In a small bowl, combine the red onion and vinegar. Set aside to soak for at least 10 minutes.

2. 2

   Empty the tuna and oil into a large bowl. Flake tuna with a fork.

3. 3

   Add cooked brown rice, bell pepper, olives, and capers.

4. 4

   Stir in the onion and any unabsorbed vinegar.

5. 5

   Add lemon juice, lemon zest (if using), olive oil (if using), parsley, thyme (if using), and salt and pepper to taste.

6. 6

   To serve, place a bed or lettuce and radicchio (if using) on each plate and spoon the salad on top.

7. 7

   Arrange green beans and eggs alongside.