Italian Bean Salad

Photo: flickr user Rubber Slippers In Italy

Ingredients

1 pound Dried White Beans Note 1

1 lrg Onion

White Or Yellow, Chopped

3 Cloves Garlic Rough Chopped

6 cups Water

1 Bay Leaf

Salt

2 Cloves Garlic Minced

1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar

1 medium Red Onion Thin Slice

2 tablespoons Lemon Juice

1 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard

1 Red Bell Pepper Cut In 1" Slices

1/4 cup Chopped Fresh Basil Or

Chopped Parsley Or Combo

1 teaspoon Chopped Fresh Sage

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Preparation

Note 1: OR borlotti beans, washed, picked over and soaked overnight or for at least 6 hrs

Serve this delicious salad warm in the winter or chilled in the summer. It makes a wonderful main dish.

Drain the beans and combine with the white or yellow onion, the chopped garlic, the water and the bay leaf in a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot.

Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hr. Add salt to taste and half the minced garlic, cover and cook 30 min to an hour, or until tender. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, combine 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar and 1 C water in a bowl; add the red onion. Add more water to cover if necessary and soak 30 min.

Drain.

Mix together the lemon juice, vinegars, remaining garlic; mustard and 3/4 C cooking liquid from the beans. Add salt and pepper to taste and adjust the seasonings. Toss with the beans in a salad bowl, along with the red onion, bell pepper, herbs, pepper and more salt to taste. Serve warm or chilled.

Serving Size: 1 CMake 5 CServes 6 - 8