Feeding a crowd? Make a salad

Feeding a crowd can be daunting at any time of year, but in late summer, it is less so for three reasons. First, it's a time of year that calls for casual dining, which means less stress on the hostess. Second, it's the time of year when fresh, affordable ingredients are widely available. Third, it's the time of year when savvy home cooks remember their recipe for Salade Nicoise.

"Recipe" is a bit of a stretch, because Salade Nicoise - at least the way I make it - more closely resembles a wild (but beautiful) compost heap than a finished dish. Also, the fact remains that the ingredients are much in dispute. Those steeped in the cooking of the Cote d'Azur in France (where the city of Nice - for which the salad is named - is located) will argue endlessly about what makes the salad "authentic." Some people serve it on a bed of lettuce, while lettuce is anathema to others. Some argue for potatoes, others against. Highly controversial ingredients include artichoke hearts, raw red bell peppers, green beans and tuna.

Since I have never even been to the Cote d'Azur, let alone eaten a Salade Nicoise on its sun-drenched beaches, I have, as my husband would say, no horse in this race. Years ago, I read an article that proclaimed that, as long as the dish "reeked" of the flavors of Provence - olives, olive oil, garlic, anchovies and tomatoes - everything else was up for grabs. I have stuck with this as my model and make my Nicoise accordingly.

The recipe below serves at least eight hearty eaters. But here's the part where feeding a crowd comes in: If more diners descend, just cook more potatoes or throw some more hard-boiled eggs on the plate. Open another can of tuna. This is an expandable - and gorgeous - feast, especially when filled with the bounty of the garden or your local farm market. If there are vegetarians among your guests, simply serve the tuna and anchovies on the side. A pile of corn on the side goes well with this dish, as does the best, crustiest loaf of "peasant" or "country" bread you can find.

Note: For a "portable" Salade Nicoise, make a "Pan Bagnat" sandwich: Slice a baguette lengthwise, and drizzle both sides with olive oil. Layer one half with tuna, tomato and basil. Add anchovies, sliced olives and capers if you'd like. Drizzle with more oil and some vinegar. Top with the remaining baguette half, cut into four or more sandwiches, and enjoy.

Marialisa Calta is the author of "Barbarians at the Plate: Taming and Feeding the American Family" (2005 Perigee). More at marialisacalta.com.