The Recipe Corner - Salmon Salade Composee

This is my mash up of Salade Niciose and Salade Composee (Composed salad).  Composee salads are beautiful, and great for big groups when everyone is on a different diet!  Finally the Paleos and the Vegans can agree!

8 to 16 oz.  cooked salmon, or tuna (canned is OK)
3 hard boiled eggs peeled and either sliced or quartered
8 oz  (a big handful)green beans stem ends trimmed
8 small red potatoes (each about 2 inches in diameter, about 1 1/4 pounds total), each potato  scrubbed   and quartered
1 small red onion sliced thin
3 small ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into eighths
2 medium heads butter lettuce, or mixed salad greens, leaves washed, dried, and torn into bite-sized pieces
1/4 cup niçoise olives 
2 Tbsp capers, rinsed
4 oz. blue cheese and/or feta
1 small lemon cut into eighths

Vinaigrette

1/2 cup lemon juice 
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium shallot, minced 
1 Tbsp  thyme 
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Whisk lemon juice, oil, shallot, thyme and mustard; season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.
Bring potatoes and 4 quarts cold water to boil in a large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt and cook until potatoes are tender, 5 to 8 minutes. 
Bring green beans and enough water to cover them to a boil. Cook until bright green.  They should be tender but crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain beans, transfer to cold water, and let stand until just cool, about 30 seconds; dry beans well. 
This is the fun part: Place the salmon in the middle of a large platter. Gently break it into bite sized pieces and top with capers.  Arrange the other components around the fish in an attractive way.  I like to serve the lettuce in a separate bowl.  Pass the vinaigrette, and a nice, dry white wine!

Recipe compliments of ClockworkCrow.