Karen Barnaby offers up three bean salads sure to whet your appetite this summer
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My local independent grocery store is a mash-up that reflects the neighbourhood it’s in. The vegan cheese hangs out with Chinese sausage, the Lindt chocolate bars and off-label mac and cheese flirt across the aisle with each other, and the organic carrots exist peacefully with the pork rind snacks.
I love the place and have been a regular there for more than 20 years. It has almost everything I need and if I left this neighbourhood, it’s the thing I would miss the most.
The sisters that own and run the store are always on the floor restocking shelves, carrying boxes, doing inventory and offering direction when needed. Everyone is in motion and I admire that they have the skills and the patience to run a store of this type. I share a mutual friend with one of the sisters and we chat when she’s not too busy, mostly about food and recipes.
One day I was poking around the area that houses the canned beans and she mentioned that they have to restock the beans several times a day. The beans were a good brand and a screaming deal at a dollar for a 14 ounce can. That amount of bean buying surprised me, and I wondered who was buying all those beans, and what they did with them.
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When I’m waiting in a long line at the checkout, I’ll look at peoples baskets and invent stories about what they’re going to cook. The one can of beans became the fuel for my culinary wheels to turn on and I wanted the recipes to be simple and without a lot of fuss.
Since the warm weather is upon us, bean salads seemed like a good choice. Everything I used in the salads came from that store and I think they reflect a tiny part of the mash-up that’s always been a great inspiration to my cooking. If you see me in the line up with a few cans of beans and wonder what I’m going to do with them, the secret is now revealed.
Instagram: karenbarnaby
Smashing a portion of the chickpeas creates a texture that’s similar to potato salad. You can add two chopped hard cooked eggs to this if you want to up the protein.
1 14 oz (398 mL) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 tbsp (60 mL) full fat Mediterranean yogurt or sour cream
4 tbsp (60 mL) mayonnaise
2 tsp (10 mL) Dijon mustard
2 tsp (10 ml) light coloured vinegar such as apple cider, rice wine, or white wine
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
2 tbsp (30 mL) coarsely chopped fresh dill
2 tbsp (30 mL) coarsely chopped fresh parsley
2 cups (500 mL) cooked cauliflower florets, about 1/2-inch around (1.25 cm)
1/4 cup (60 mL) thinly sliced celery
2 large green onions, thinly sliced
Place 1/3 of the chickpeas in a medium bowl and mash them with a fork, your hands, or a masher. Stir in the yogurt, mayonnaise mustard, salt, dill and parsley. Mix well.
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Fold in the remaining chickpeas, the cauliflower, celery and onions. Mix well and check the seasoning. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Check the seasoning again before serving and adjust if necessary.
Makes 2 cups (500 mL) or one large main course, 2 small main courses or 4 sides
This salad can be eaten in tortillas, and don’t forget about the salsa if you’re going that route.
1 tbsp (15 mL) lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) ground cumin
1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) rubbed oregano
pinch of cayenne, or to taste
1 tsp (5 mL) Dijon mustard
2 tbsp (30 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
1 14 oz (398 mL) can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tbsp (30 mL) finely diced green onion
1 cup (250 mL) halved cherry tomatoes
1 tbsp (15 mL) coarsely chopped cilantro
1 small avocado, peeled and sliced, or cubed
In a medium bowl combine the lime juice, garlic, salt, cumin, oregano, cayenne and mustard. Beat in the olive oil. Fold in the remaining ingredients, either folding in the avocado or using it for garnishing the salad. Check the seasoning. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Check the seasoning again before serving and adjust if necessary.
Makes 2 cups (500 mL) or one large main course, 2 small main courses or 4 sides
A sprinkling of feta, goat, or halloumi cheese is good on this.
1 tbsp (15 mL) balsamic vinegar
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1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
2 tbsp (30 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
14 oz (398 mL) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup (250 mL) cooked green beans cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
1 medium tomato, finely diced
2 tbsp (30 mL) thinly sliced red onion
2 tbsp (30 mL) coarsely chopped fresh basil
In a medium bowl combine the balsamic vinegar, garlic and salt. Beat in the olive oil. Mix in the remaining ingredients. Mix well and check the seasoning. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Check the seasoning again before serving and adjust if necessary.
Makes 2 cups (500 mL) or one large main course, 2 small main courses or 4 sides
Source: vancouversun.com
