Featured recipe from Marilu's table * Chopped salad with tarragon

Bastille Day was a week ago, but the Tour de France is still going on, so we have a French-style recipe today.

To make this salad into a main dish meal, double the salad dressing recipe, and marinate 2-3 ahi tuna steaks in half the salad dressing for about 20 minutes. Discard the dressing used as marinade. Sear the ahi tuna over high heat (or grill over a high flame) on both sides, about 2 minutes a side. Slice the tuna into thin strips. Make larger salad portions and divide the tuna among the salads. Garnish with the chopped tarragon on top of the tuna. Makes 3-4 servings.

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Chopped Salad with Tarragon

Purple * Serves 8 (side dish)

2 organic red onions, diced

4 medium organic tomatoes, diced

1 organic cucumber, halved lengthwise and diced

1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives

1 small head organic red-leaf lettuce leaves, stacked and sliced into 1/4-inch strips, then halved crosswise

1 garlic clove, minced

2 Tablespoons tarragon vinegar

3 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard

1 Tablespoon organic or fresh-squeezed lemon juice

1/3 cup olive oil

freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon chopped fresh organic tarragon

In a large bowl, combine the onions, tomatoes, cucumber, olives, and lettuce and toss with your hands until everything is evenly distributed.

In a small bowl, combine the garlic, vinegar, mustard, and lemon juice. Whisk in the oil in a s stream until well blended. Season to taste with black pepper.

To serve, gather a handful of salad and gently drop it onto a salad plate, forming a pyramid. Sprinkle with the dressing and top with the fresh tarragon.