Seared Tuna Niçoise w/ Soft Egg + Olive Dressing
A classic assembled around the most direct dietary support for inflammatory resolution available.
The Niçoise format is one of the most nutritionally complete anti-inflammatory meals in Mediterranean cooking — not by design, but by ingredient density. Tuna delivers EPA + DHA, the omega-3 fatty acids the body converts into resolvins + protectins — the specialized pro-resolving mediators that actively signal the immune system to complete inflammatory resolution (Serhan, 2014). Without adequate omega-3 substrate, this resolution phase is biologically constrained regardless of everything else on the plate. Olives + olive oil contribute oleocanthal, which inhibits COX enzymes through the same mechanism as ibuprofen, modulating the inflammatory signal without blocking resolution. The soft egg provides sulfur amino acids that support glutathione production during the oxidative stress peak of acute inflammation. Green beans + radishes add quercetin + vitamin C, supporting NF-κB inhibition throughout the resolution phase.
Seared Tuna Niçoise
2 tuna steaks, seared rare
2 soft-boiled eggs, halved
1 cup green beans, blanched
1 cup baby potatoes, boiled + halved
1/2 cup black olives
4 radishes, thinly sliced
2 cups mixed greens or microgreens
1 tbsp sesame seeds, to finish
Olive Dressing
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 small garlic clove, grated
Sea salt + cracked pepper, to taste
Benefits
Tuna → EPA + DHA provide substrate for resolvins + protectins required for active inflammatory resolution
Olive oil + olives → oleocanthal inhibits COX enzymes through the same mechanism as ibuprofen
Soft egg → sulfur amino acids support glutathione production during the oxidative stress peak
Green beans + radishes → quercetin + vitamin C support NF-κB inhibition during the resolution phase
Potatoes → resistant starch feeds colonic bacteria producing short-chain fatty acids with systemic anti-inflammatory effects