Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Rosie Makes A Mixed Bean Salad.

 
One of my favorite side dishes
is a mixed bean salad.
I love the tart and sweet flavors
and I love the textures of the different beans.

Last month, Mr. Hawthorne and I
 canned some green beans.
We just tasted them the other day.


I'll be planting extra beans
in the garden this spring
since our canning project turned out so well.

 The beans were so very crisp.
 I was inspired to make a four-bean salad with them.


Rosie's Mixed Bean Salad
1 cup dried kidney beans
1 cup dried garbanzo beans
1 pound fresh green beans
canned dilled beans  (About 2 dozen beans cut into small slices.)
red onion, chopped


Rinse dried beans.  Add to pots (I used two separate pots.)  and cover with water. (Don't bother to salt.  Mr. Hawthorne tells me salting will make the skins break.  A Food Network nugget.)  Bring to a boil.  Reduce to simmer.  Bare-simmer for 20 minutes. Drain beans.  Refresh water.  Bring to boil again and reduce to simmer.  Cook for about another 20 minutes, or until beans are al dente.

For the fresh green beans, bring salted water to a boil, drop in the beans, almost bring back to the boil (about 2 minutes), then drain and plunge the beans into ice water.

Dressing:
1 cup cider vinegar
2 TB Balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
2 garlic cloves
1 TB Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce
freshly ground salt and pepper
3/4 cup vegetable oil

Mix all ingredients except for oil.
Bring to a boil.
Let cool.
Slowly drizzle in oil, whisking constantly.


For the fresh green beans,
bring salted water to a boil.
Add in beans and cook until water
comes back to a boil.
About 2 minutes.
You want the beans crisp, not limp and wilted.
Taste test for doneness.



Immediately plunge beans into ice water
to stop the cooking and set the bright green color.


 
Drain the beans.



Prepare the dressing:
1 cup cider vinegar
2 TB Balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
2 garlic cloves
1 TB Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce
freshly ground salt and pepper
3/4 cup vegetable oil

Mix all the pretty beans together -
fresh green beans, garbanza beans, kidney beans-
with the chopped onion.


I used a good teaspoon of freshly cracked pepper
and about 3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt.


Action shot!


Whisk all ingredients except oil.
Bring to boil and let cool.
Drizzle the oil in, whisking constantly.

You could pour the dressing over the beans
and toss to coat now,
but I wanted another flavor and texture element.

Enter my canned dilly beans.


Give the canned beans a chop
and add to the rest.

Gives tartness, crunch, and puckering,
in one bite.

Pour dressing and toss to coat.

Perfect!

Forget the side dish.
I can make a meal out of this.



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