This simple bean salad is extremely versatile… It can be served as a canapé spooned into endive spears, as a side dish on a buffet or as a main course over salad greens.   I like to use fresh cranberry beans, which are on the larger side, but pretty much any variety will do.  In addition to being extremely nutritious, these starchy beans are actually quite filling, so you don’t need a lot to carry you through an afternoon.  For best results, combine ingredients (except avocado) at least an hour before serving, giving them a stir every 15-20 minutes, so the beans have a chance to marinate and really soak in the flavors. 

Difficulty:

Prep Time: 15-20 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup (160g)       Fresh Cranberry beans (or 1 can)

¾ cup (100g)      Cherry or Grape Tomatoes, quartered

¼ cup (20 ea.)    Niçoise Olives, quartered or chopped

¼ cup (¼ sm.)    Red Onion, brunoise

½ ea.                  Avocado, diced

5 lg. leaves         Fresh Basil, chiffonade

½ ea.                  Lemon, zest & juice

1/3 cup               EVO

2 Tbsp.               Sherry Vinegar (Xérès)

¼ tsp.                 Esplette pepper

¼ tsp.                 Sea Salt

Technique:

•Shuck Cranberry beans and add to a pot of cold water.  Bring to a boil then simmer 12-15 minutes until tender.  Rinse in cold water to cool.

•Refrigerate for one hour (or up to 6 hours), mixing 3-4 times to marinate evenly.  

1. •Dice avocado and fold into mixture.  Check seasoning and serve.