Pinquito Bean and Celery Salad with Lemon Dressing
Heirloom beans really are salad transformers: here, they add a creamily indulgent counterpoint to the satisfying crunch of vegetables. We’re suckers for lemon and anchovies in almost any salad-dressing situation, but if you’re not a fan of the latter substitute a teaspoon of miso paste
400g cooked Santa Maria Pinquito beans, well drained
3 stalks of celery, chopped into bite-sized pieces
50ml extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1 anchovy filet (or teaspoon of miso paste)
1 teaspoon picked thyme leaves
1 garlic clove
Salt
Pepper
Serves 2 to 4In a serving bowl, toss the cooked beans with the chopped celery.
In a food processor, blender, or mortar, add the rest of the ingredients and blend well. If using a mortar and pestle, start with the salt and garlic and make a paste. Add the anchovy and continue pounding until the anchovy is incorporated into the paste. Add the lemon, thyme and pepper and continue pounding gently until emulsified.
Toss the bean mixture with the dressing. Taste and adjust the seasonings, then serve.