Make the vinaigrette dressing

Put the shallot, garlic, wine vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt in a bowl or jar. Let the mixture sit 5 minutes — this step dissolves the salt and helps soften the shallots, which infuses flavor into the vinegar.

Add the Dijon and black pepper to taste. Stir until emulsified, or fasten a lid onto the jar and shake to blend. Slowly stream in the olive oil while whisking, until the dressing looks thick and creamy, or shake the jar again until blended. *The dressing can be prepared and stored refrigerated up to 3 days.

Cook the green beans and potatoes

Bring a large sauce pan of water to a boil and salt generously (about 1 tablespoon salt per quart of water) — this will season the potatoes while they cook so they taste delicious! Add the potatoes to the pan and cook until they can easily be pierced with the tip of a knife, about 12 minutes. Scoop the beans out with a slotted spoon. Set aside until cool, then slice in half.

Add the green beans and cook 3 minutes, until they're bright green. Drain in a colander and immediately run them under cold water. Shake to drain any excess water.

Assemble the salad

Arrange the lettuce on a large serving platter. Drizzle about a teaspoon of dressing over the leaves.

Add the potatoes in a cluster on the edge of the platter on top of the lettuce and drizzle lightly with dressing.

Pile the green beans down the center of the platte. Drizzle lightly with dressing.

Add clusters of the cannellini beans and tomatoes around the platter, drizzling each with dressing.

Crumble the tuna over the green beans. Tuck the boiled eggs here and there around the platter. Tear the olives in half if they're large and sprinkle randomly over the platter. Scatter the herbs over the platter.

Serve the salad with additional dressing on the side.