White Bean Salad
Dried beans are a staple in our pantry. They come to the “menu rescue” more than I want to admit… Ha! We eat them in stews, salads or even dips. As you may already know, beans are a great source of protein and fiber. Here they cohabit harmoniously with lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil. Don’t forget the usual suspects: scallions, thyme and parsley.
This White Bean Salad is simple and satisfying. It can be a meal by itself or served as a side dish to a grilled meat or fish.
Bon appétit!
White Bean Salad
Recipe credits: Rafaella Sargi
Serves 4 to 6 persons.
Ingredients
3 cups dried white beans
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, grated
Sea salt
1/2 extra virgin in olive oil
1/4 freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 scallions, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon parsley, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Black pepper
Directions
You will need one large bowl, colander, and a large pot.
The night before*: place the beans in a large bowl with triple their volume of water and 1 teaspoon of baking soda. Cover and let it stand overnight. It will allow the beans to rehydrate.
The next day, drain the beans. Discard soaking water and rinse the beans under cool running water. Place the soaked beans in a large pot with enough water to cover them generously and 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Bring to a boil over medium high-heat. Once boiling, reduce to medium heat and boil for 30 minutes. Check for doneness. Continue cooking and check every 5 to 10 minutes, keep an eye on the water level as well. If the pot is about to dry out, you can add HOT water and continue the cooking process.
You want the beans to be fully cooked, the skin tender and super soft while trying to avoid the “completely mushy” stage. This is why I advise you to check on them often; you can always cook for a few more minutes but not the other way around!
Meanwhile, grate the garlic and have it ready in a large shallow bowl.
Once the beans are cooked, save 1/4 cup of the cooking liquids and set aside. Using a slotted spoon, remove the beans, and place them directly on top of the grated garlic; their heat will help cook the garlic just a little bit; keeping the flavor but getting rid of its sharpness.* Set aside for 5 minutes.
Mix gently and season with 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, and the reserved cooking liquids. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper then set aside for the dish to cool down a little bit. Add the chopped scallions, parsley and thyme leaves. Taste and correct seasoning. (Keep in mind that beans absorb a lot of seasoning, you can always correct the flavors with a little bit more of lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil.)
Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
You can also cover it and let it chill in the fridge. Leftovers are great!!
*If you did not plan ahead for the soaking time and or simply forgot to soak the beans overnight, you can still do this step early morning, allow 5 to 6 hours for the beans to rehydrate.
