bean salad redux … Fresh Three Bean Salad

I find it hard to believe that Labor Day is this weekend. Am I alone with this thought? One minute it was the first week of June and I was running around getting my Chinese visa application in order and then suddenly it’s the end of August. Where did the summer go? Granted, I spent those weeks in between having a grand ‘ole time but still, I think I’m missing a few weeks in there somewhere. I guess it’s true that time marches on despite our wishes so I think this weekend is time for a really good BBQ blowout. Consider it a celebration for 12 really great weeks. Hey, it might be your last BBQ for a while.

When I think of Labor Day BBQs, I think good old Americana at it’s finest. Hot dogs, brats, hamburgers, sweet corn and salads galore. Not green, lettuce based salads. Oh no. Special salads made with things like Jell-O, layers of slightly questionable ingredients, mayonnaise-y dishes and overly sweet concoctions are required. You know what I’m talking about – things your Great Aunt Mitzi would have brought to the family potluck. The holy trinity of deli takeout containers: neon yellow potato salad, mushy macaroni salad and strangely sweet three bean salad.

Truthfully, I’ve never been a fan of any of these but I do feel a little nostalgic at times and let’s face it, three bean salad has always been a curious one. Canned green, kidney and garbanzo beans bound together with an oddly sticky sweet dressing. This was a dressing like no other. Where did it come from, that strange oozy texture and aching sweetness? And who thought to put it with canned beans of all things? A little research revealed varying theories but it seems to be an old recipe, made popular with the advent of canned foods. But that ungodly sweetness? A @%#*ton of sugar, is what. One recipe I found had ¾ cup of white sugar. Wow. I’ve made cakes with less sugar.

I like bean salads, I do. Just not overly sweet goopy versions. So I went in the opposite direction. First, I ditched the canned beans. Fresh beans were piled high at my farmers market last week and I was immediately drawn the big bins of fresh shelling beans. Big eye-catching piles of red, yellow and purple streaked pods with names like cranberry, borlotti and tongues of fire. They’re something I can never resist. So I didn’t. Two or three big handfuls of the deep red cranberry bean pods went into my bag.

In the bins next to the shelling beans were heaping piles of tender fresh beans – green, yellow, purple and thin delicate haricort vert. Next to freshly picked sweet corn, there is nothing better than fresh beans with a little butter and salt. So into the bag went big handfuls of green and yellow beans. I was going to make my own kind of three bean salad.

Back home, the shelled cranberry beans went into a pot with a few herbs and garlic cloves, simmered until tender and that softened cooked garlic was worked into the dressing. And let’s talk about that dressing. Since I changed the beans, I changed that too. Into a jar went the ingredients for a thick, tangy vinaigrette; basic and traditional stuff – garlic, shallot, mustard, vinegar, oil. A couple shakes and the dressing was done with no sugar or sweetner whatsoever.

The beans were tossed separately with the vinaigrette so they could get a better coating – you’re dealing with different dynamics and sizes here. It also plates a lot prettier if you do them separately but that’s up to you.

In the end, you’ve got a three bean salad different but far superior to the original. Or I think so anyway. Fresh and bright with some texture and a little bite from the vinaigrette. It’s delicious, no question and perfect for this weekend’s last hurrah.

STRESS THERAPY BAKING FACTOR: A FINE SUMMER SEND OFF. Rather than bemoan the fact that summer is over and Old Man Winter will be here before we know it, throw a party. A big outdoor party centered around encased meats, cold beer and lots of salads. Throw this one in for good measure. It’s fresh, it’s delicious and it doesn’t come in a 1 quart plastic container unless you put it there. And it won’t elevate your glucose levels or give you diabetes. Maybe I’ll even hazard a guess and say it’s good for you. Well, better for you than that deli salad certainly.

On this blog five years ago: Buttermilk Pancakes with Fresh Peaches & Raspberries
On this blog four years ago: Ginger Peach Hand Pies
On this blog three years ago: Vinegary Cole Slaw
On this blog two years ago: Fig BBQ Sauce 
On this blog last year: Apricot Pistachio Frangipane Tart 
Other good recipes for a blowout bbq: Quick & Spicy Garlic Pickles, BBQ Baked Beans, Watermelon Agua Fresca, Pimento Cheese

FRESH THREE BEAN SALAD
Serves 4
If you can’t find shelling beans, dried beans work well, however, they’ll take longer than an hour to cook so plan accordingly. Rancho Gordo has a lovely selection of dried beans, including cranberry. If you’re in a pinch, you could also use canned beans, well rinsed. Add a little finely chopped fresh garlic in the vinaigrette to compensate for the lack of cooked garlic in the beans.

For the beans:
1 pound shelling beans such as cranberry, tongues of fire or borlotti (about ¾ cup shelled)
3 whole garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 sprigs flat leaf parsley
1-2 big sprigs fresh thyme
¼ teaspoon salt

¾ pound green beans
¾ pound yellow wax beans

for the vinaigrette:
1 small shallot, finely diced
1 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, grainy if you have it
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1. For the shelling beans: shuck the shelling beans – you should get around ¾ cup of beans.
2. Place in a medium pot with the garlic, parsley, thyme, salt and water to cover by 1”. This will vary based on the size of you pan. I used a wide shallow pan and needed 3 cups.
3. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, 1 hour or until the beans are tender.
4. Remove the garlic cloves and reserve. Discard the thyme and parsley.
5. Drain the beans – if you wish, save the delicious cooking liquid for soups or for the liquid in bread recipes. Let the beans cool while you cook the fresh beans.
6. For the fresh beans: Snap the stem ends off the green and yellow beans and bring a medium pot of water to boil – about 4 cups of water with 1 teaspoon salt.
7. Add the beans and cook 4-5 minutes until tender but still crisp.
8. While the beans are cooking, fill a bowl with cold water and a few ice cubes if you have them.
9. When the beans are done to your liking, immediately drain and place in the cold water to stop the cooking, keeping them crisp and maintaining the bright color. Drain when cool. Make sure the beans are completely dry before adding the vinaigrette.
10. For the vinaigrette: remove the skins from the reserved garlic cloves and mash the pulp with a fork.
11. Add the smashed garlic and all the vinaigrette ingredients into a small lidded jar. Screw the lid on tight and shake vigorously until combined. Alternatively, in a medium bowl, whisk together the smashed garlic, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper. Add the olive oil in a slow drizzle while whisking vigorously until emulsified.
12. To serve: toss the shelling beans with 1-2 Tablespoons of the vinaigrette. Separately, do the same with fresh beans.
13. Pile the dressed fresh beans on a platter and top with the dressed shelling beans, drizzling any extra vinaigrette on top.
14. The salad will keep for a day or two in the refrigerator.