Italian Bean Salad

By Hklbrries

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

Ingredients

• 1 pound dry white beans or borlotti beans, washed, picked over, and soaked overnight for at least 6 hours
• 1 large white or yellow onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 6 cups water
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 medium or large red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 red bell pepper, cut in thin 1-inch-long slices
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or parsley, or a combination
• 1 tsp chopped fresh sage
• Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Step 1

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 hour. Add salt to taste and half the miced garlic; cover, and cook 30 minutes to an hour, or until tender. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, combine 1 tbsp red wine vinegar and 1 cup water in a bowl; add the red onion. Add more water to cover if necessary and soak 30 minutes. Drain.

Mix together the lemon juice, vinegars, remaining garlic, mustard, and 3/4 cup 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.

Nutrition Information:
Per (1 cup) serving
100 calories
.5 g fat
0 mg cholesterol
189 mg sodium without added salt