Looks like I’m soon to be eating beans again. So I’ve been rummaging in the cookbook in search of old favorite ways to fix them. Here’s one I found in Sunset Magazine back in the days when it was really a superb resource for food and household projects. It’s very old, but very good:
White Bean Salad
- 1 pound dried white beans
- 2 Tbsp white vinegar (I use white wine vinegar)
- 1 Tbsp Dijon-style mustard
- 4 drops Tabasco (I’ve used those Korean dried pepper flakes)
- 1/3 cup salad oil (I use olive oil or a combination of olive & some other vegetable oil)
- salt & pepper to taste
- about 2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil or 2 tsp dried basil
- about 1 1/2 tsp chopped mint leaves
- about 3 Tbsp each chopped parsley and green onion
- minced garlic clove
- a couple of handsful of cherry tomatoes, halved
Cook the beans: First wash them in a colander, picking them over for any that look spoiled and for any small stones. They seem to taste best if you use the long method:
The night before, put the beans in a Dutch oven and cover generously with cold water. Soak overnight. In the morning, drain beans into a colander and rinse. Return to pan and cover generously with water. Bring to a simmer or slow boil and then turn the heat to “low.” Cook until they’re tender. Time depends on how old the beans are—anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes, I’d say. Test by picking up a bean or two with a spoon or fork and blowing on it. If your breath splits the skin, it’s probably done. Taste to be sure…it should be on the soft side of al dente.
If you forget the previous evening, here’s the short method of cooking dried beans:
Cover the beans in a Dutch oven with cold water. Place over high heat. Bring to a full, rolling boil and count to one minute. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and let the beans set for one hour. Drain and rinse. Return beans to pan and cover with fresh water. Bring the heat to a simmer or slow boil and then cook until tender over low heat.
Make the salad:
Mix the vinegar with the mustard. Using a wire whip, whisk in the oil a few drops at a time to make a fairly thickish sauce. Mix this and all the ingredients except tomatoes with the warm beans. Stir gently but well. Chill thoroughly—at least four hours, but overnight is fine.
Shortly before serving, add the cherry tomatoes, halved. Garnish with a few sprigs of mint, if available.
This bean salad is good on its own—makes great snacking food to keep in the fridge—and splendid when served with good grilled sausages.