WITH YOUR WINE

Sort-of salad nicoise

Americans seem hung up on salads. They’ll eat all sorts of fancy ones at restaurants, but at home are less willing to try anything other than some lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes and bottled dressing tossed together. In fact, those fancy restaurant salads are quite easy to make at home, much less expensive, and they are rosé-friendly. The ingredients, by the way, are just suggestions. This is a terrific way to clean out the refrigerator — use leftover grilled chicken, hard-boiled eggs, potato salad, green beans and bits of grated cheese.

Serves four, takes about 25 minutes

4 to 6 c mixed lettuce, torn

2 to 3 c chopped, raw vegetables such as cucumbers, carrots, mushrooms, red onion and celery

2 c canned beans such as chickpeas or navy beans

2 cans best-quality tuna

1/2 to 1 c black olives

1/2 to 1 c best-quality vinaigrette

JEFF SIEGEL’S WEEKLY WINE REVIEWS appear every Wednesday on oakcliff.advocatemag.com

1. Arrange the lettuce in a layer on a serving platter. Dress lightly with vinaigrette. Arrange the rest of the ingredients on top of the lettuce, making a design that strikes your fancy. Presentation is part of the fun of this dish.

2. Dress the salad lightly, and pass the vinaigrette at the table.