Salad Niçoise

1. FOR THE VINAIGRETTE: Whisk oil, lemon juice, shallot, basil, thyme, oregano, and mustard in medium bowl; season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
2. FOR THE SALAD: Bring potatoes and 4 quarts cold water to boil in large Dutch oven or stockpot over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt and cook until potatoes are tender when poked with paring knife, 5 to 8 minutes. With slotted spoon, gently transfer potatoes to medium bowl (do not discard boiling water). Toss warm potatoes with vermouth and salt and pepper to taste; let stand 1 minute. Toss in 1⁄4 cup vinaigrette; set aside.
3. While potatoes cook, toss lettuce with 1⁄4 cup vinaigrette in large bowl until coated. Arrange bed of lettuce on very large, flat serving platter. Place tuna in now-empty bowl and break up with fork. Add 1⁄2 cup vinaigrette and stir to combine; mound tuna in center of lettuce. Toss tomatoes, onion, 3 tablespoons vinaigrette, and salt and pepper to taste in now-empty bowl; arrange tomato-onion mixture in mound at edge of lettuce bed. Arrange reserved potatoes in separate mound at edge of lettuce bed.
4. Return water to boil; add 1 tablespoon salt and green beans. Cook until tender but crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Meanwhile, fill medium bowl with 1 quart water and 1 tray ice cubes. Drain beans, transfer to ice water, and let stand until just cool, about 30 seconds; dry beans well on triple layer of paper towels. Toss beans, 3 tablespoons vinaigrette, and salt and pepper to taste in now-empty bowl; arrange in separate mound at edge of lettuce bed.
5. Arrange eggs, olives, and anchovies, if using, in separate mounds at edge of lettuce bed. Drizzle eggs with remaining 2 tablespoons dressing, sprinkle entire salad with capers, if using, and serve immediately.

SALAD NIÇOISE WITH GRILLED FRESH TUNA
1. Combine two 8-ounce tuna steaks, each about 3⁄4 inch thick, with 2 tablespoons olive oil in gallon-size zipper-lock bag; seal bag, place in refrigerator, and marinate, turning several times, for at least 1 hour or overnight. Remove tuna from bag, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and set aside.
2A. FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill, and heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.
2B. FOR A GAS GRILL: Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes.
3. Clean grate. Lightly dip wad of paper towels in oil; holding wad with tongs, wipe grate. Continue to wipe grate with oiled paper towels, redipping towels in oil between applications, until grate is black and glossy, 5 to 10 times. Grill fish (with lid down for gas grill) without moving until grill marks form and bottom surface is opaque, about 1-1⁄2 minutes. Carefully flip, cooking until grill marks form on second side, about 1-1⁄2 minutes longer for rare (opaque at perimeter and translucent red at center when checked with tip of paring knife) or 3 minutes for medium-rare (opaque at perimeter and reddish pink at center). Cut into 1⁄2-inch-thick slices. Substitute grilled tuna for canned tuna.