umami wonders … LuLu’s Two Bean Salad

I have a remarkable cadre of friends in Southwest France, mostly retired, who are truly living their best lives. They are constantly posting beautiful, luscious, envy inducing photos of meals they’re enjoying through this pandemic and it’s been enough to make me tear up a few times. Maybe one day we’ll be able to enter the country again. Maybe one day, I’ll see them again and share a lovely meal.

Last week one friend posted a simple bean salad he made using a recipe from a fabulous book as inspiration – LuLu’s Provençal Table by Richard Olney. I have this book. I LOVE this book. Lulu is Lulu Peyraud, the proprietress of the noted Domaine Tempier vineyard in Provence and reading through her stories and recipes makes you want to pick up and move RIGHT NOW. Someday, someday when maybe we’re allowed to travel and are welcomed back into other countries. At this rate, it will probably be awhile but on the bright side, you can certainly find their wonderful wine in the US and cook her delicious recipes, and you should. (In the meantime, I looks like ebay might be your best bet for the book if interested.) By the way, Lulu is now 102. Santé Lulu!

It was a relatively simple recipe – green beans and a shell bean (dried or in my friend’s case, the fresh shelled coco beans he adores) tossed in a salty, savory, umami filled anchovy vinaigrette. I had those things! I had a TON of green beans from my garden plot and an unfathomable amount of dried beans from my bean club, with another shipment due any day. I didn’t have the salted anchovies called for but I did have an oil packed jar in my pantry. It would do. I was all over this.

For the dried beans, I selected flageolet from my vast stock as they seemed appropriate and soaked them in salty water overnight (aka brining.) The next day I cooked them in their brine with shallot, bay leaf and Thai chilies I had just picked from my garden. They were tender, perfect and delicious in just a ½ hour. Excellent. Might up the chilies next time. Not traditional but something to think about.

I blanched the green beans and while that was happening smashed several anchovies, some pepper, vinegar and olive oil together in my mortar. The recipe called for 6 salted anchovies but I’m not sure how many oil packed ones I used as they sort of fell apart as I pried them from the jar. I just kept adding bits and pieces until the mixture tasted right. Oh boy, did it taste right.

I drained the flageolets, added the hot, cooked green beans and tossed the whole lot with all the vinaigrette. Probably too much but I had plenty of crusty bread to soak up the oily bits. It was good. So damn good. I don’t understand some peoples hang up over anchovies. They are a marvel, deepening and enriching the flavor of everything they touch. Not fishy at all. You should really try this. Excluding the overnight soak, the whole thing came together in about 45 minutes and 75% of that was the cooking of the dried beans, so maybe 15 minutes of active time. Easy peasy.

STRESS THERAPY BAKING FACTOR: SUMMER FOOD. The only summer things this is missing is corn, tomatoes and watermelon and I’m not ruling that out for the future. (And my French based friends, obviously.) This dish is delicious – rich and flavorful, a little salty, tender. It made a helluva good lunch with some crusty bread to soak up the extra juicy dressing. I’m thinking a quartered hard-boiled egg or two would be a delightful addition; maybe some tuna for something a little heartier. I need to work more anchovies into my food. Damn. They’re good.

Other things from this blog over the years:
More bean salads: Modern Three Bean Salad, Pico de Gallo White Bean Salad
eleven years ago: Spicy Garlic Refrigerator Pickles, Buttermilk Pancakes
ten years ago: Ginger Peach Hand Pies
nine years ago: Vinegary Cole Slaw
eight years ago: Bastille Day Lunch – Figgy BBQ Sauce
seven years ago: Apricot Pistachio Frangipane Tart
six years ago: Plum Upside Down Cake
five years ago: Pickled Cherry Tomatoes, Melon Feta & Prosciutto Salad
four years ago: Caraway Spiced Cottage Cheese
three years ago: Roasted Canned Tomatoes
two years ago: Watermelon Jicama Salad
last year: Almond Summer Fruit Galette

LULU’S TWO BEAN SALAD – slightly adapted from Salade de Haricots Vert Egrenés, LuLu’s Provençal Kitchen by Richard Olney, 
Serves 4 as a side dish 
For the beans, I used dried flageolet as mentioned but any small, mild bean would do like navy or cannellini. Can you use canned? Well I’m not going to tell you no but the dried beans were much better. The difference in texture is worth it and they really weren’t that much effort.

For the beans:
½ cup smallish dried beans, soaked overnight in salted water (1 quart water w/2 teaspoons kosher salt)
1 shallot, chopped
2 bay leaves
2 small fresh or dried chilies, split if fresh
2 pounds green beans, tipped and tailed
Kosher salt

For the vinaigrette:
6-8 anchovies in oil, drained
few grinds of black pepper
3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
½ cup good quality olive oil

1. For the dried beans: after soaking overnight, add the beans and the liquid to the pot with the shallot, chilies and bay leaves.
2. Bring to a boil, reduce to low and simmer until tender. My beans were very fresh and only took ½ hour; yours may take longer. Check frequently so as not to overcook.
3. Drain the beans and add to a large mixing bowl. Save the broth for another use if you like.
4. For the vinaigrette: add the anchovies, pepper and vinegar to a mortar and mash around until smooth. Alternatively, do the same in a bowl with a fork.
5. Drizzle in the olive oil and mix until combined. It will likely separate a bit, do not fret.
6. For the green beans: bring a large pot of water to a bowl and add a few teaspoons of salt.
7. Cook the green beans until crisp-tender; this could be anywhere from 2-8 minutes depending on your beans. (Mine were a bit larger and tougher and went the full 8.)
8. Add the hot green beans to the cooked dried beans, add the vinaigrette and toss to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
9. Enjoy warm, room temperature or cold.