Salad of Cranberry Beans, Tomato, Cucumber and Quickled Purplette Onion

Here is a salad with nice textural contrasts that is light but very satisfying. The beans can be done a day or two ahead of time. Making extra beans allows you to use them for other things such as a smashed paste as a dip for chips or crackers, part of a vegetable braise, or an accompaniment to sausages.

INGREDIENTS:

2-3 cups Basic Braised Shelling Beans (See recipe on site), except cut onion and garlic into large pieces, and remove them before when ready to drain the beans

2 cups tomatoes, seeded and drained, cut into ½ inch dice

1½ cups cucumber, seeded and cut into ½ inch dice

1½-2 cups quickled Purplette onions

8 cups lettuce leaves such as butter or leaf lettuce, washed, spun dry, and torn into bite sized pieces

1 cup, or as much as needed, 2 White Vinegars Dressing, or Basil Vinaigrette v.3 (see website)

Salt and pepper to taste

¼ cup lightly toasted pine nuts

-Optional- ½ to 1 cup soft mild goat cheese

METHOD:

Cook the beans following the recipe with the above changes. When the beans are done, drain and remove vegetables and herbs from the beans, and drizzle with dressing while still hot. Use enough dressing so the beans are well coated. Toss and stir gently as the beans cool. Once cooled, season gently with salt and pepper and taste for seasoning. Add more dressing or salt if necessary. If not using within the hour transfer, covered tightly, to the refrigerator until ready to use them. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before using for salads or other cold dishes.

In a large non-reactive bowl, combine the tomato, cucumber, and half the quickles and toss gently to mix. Add enough dressing to coat the vegetables well. Toss to coat with dressing. Add lettuces and toss gently to combine. Taste, and add more dressing if it needs it.

Divide the salad between four chilled plates. If using the goat cheese, scatter little pillowy blobs of it around/on the salads. Place the remaining quickles in ploufs in the center of each salad and scatter with the pine nuts. Give a little grind of pepper to each salad and serve.

Serves: 4

Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen