French White Bean Salad

If you know bumbleberry breeze, then by now you know I love food (hello, I put a good number of weekly hours into this blog, my labor of love). Not just any food, but wholesome food prepared in a way that’s both simple and flavorful. When it comes to the holidays, I’ve been down the road of complicated dishes and time-consuming desserts. But this year I don’t want to consume time. I want to take that time and use it to be with our family and friends. If I’m in a cooking marathon for days before, by the time we return from temple, I won’t be ready to host a  big meal. I’ll be ready for my pillow.

Here are contenders for this year. All highlighted dishes are linked directly to their recipes. Click on them and you will be miraculously connected with them.

So let’s look at the French bean salad. I bought Bob’s Red Mill lovely Flageolet beans.

Flageolet beans are small bush-type beans that are very popular in French country cooking. The color of the beans range from pale green to creamy white.

They had a bit of chew to them, which I liked. My mom wanted them a bit more tender. I think I needed to soak them overnight in a pot instead of in my 4-cup measuring cup to give them more room. That probably would have done the trick.

We feel a bit crowded in here

Flageolets are excellent in salads and soups. My mom remembers that my dad sometimes asked her to add some beans when she would make chicken soup. She must have thought about our conversation because a few days later, she called me up and very seriously stated, “You know, I think the beans I used had little dark spots in the center.” She was probably talking about black-eyed peas which would be an excellent choice for this salad as well.

I wanted the beans to be the star in this salad. So I looked around in the kitchen for a few veggies who might like supporting roles. This lonesome tomato was crying, “I’m getting wrinkly. Please use me!” So I did.

Make a dressing and add fresh herbs. Mint is an excellent choice.

Because this salad is excellent cold or room temperature, it’s a terrific addition to your holiday table.

French White Bean Salad

Ingredients:

bb notes: Experiment with different fresh herbs, such as tarragon and chives. I like to include fresh mint along with the others for the freshness it brings to the salad.

You may want to include a handful of torn baby spinach, once salad is  assembled.

Directions:

Sort and rinse through beans. Soak beans overnight in a pot. Water level should be a few inches higher than the beans. The next day, drain and rinse beans.

Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, vinegar, mustard and salt & pepper. Let sit while beans are cooking.

Add water to fully cover beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about one hour, or until tender.

Rinse beans in cold water.

Place beans in salad bowl. Add celery, tomato and red onion to the beans.

Re-stir dressing. Pour half the dressing over the salad. Toss and add the remainder to the salad, to your taste.

Add fresh herbs and toss.

Chill a few hours or overnight.

Serves 6-8.