On our recent bean tour, we ate very well. Our hosts were eager to show off all of their best dishes and the guests were eager to try everything. Courses seemed to cascade with reckless abandon and sooner or later, you had to cry “Uncle!” and take a break. One night, Lupe was planning the meals and decided to make a salad with white beans, inspired by one of the recipes in my first book. A white bean salad is very un-Mexican but everyone loved it, even Lupe!
Lupe made hers with Ayocote Blanco, and you can use those or Cassoulet. I prefer Royal Coronas because they are so ridiculously big. I like to laugh when I eat. Lupe also cut her radishes paper thin and it was very pretty. I would imagine the best technique would be to use a mandoline for cutting the radishes but I used a vegetable peeler. It wasn't fast but I still have all my fingers intact.
Serves 4
- 1/2 red onion, sliced thin
- 1 celery stalk, cut in half lengthwise and then into ¼ inch slices
- 1/3 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
- 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1 bunch of radishes, cleaned and trimmed, then thinly sliced
- 2 1/2 cups cooked Royal Corona, Ayocote Blanco, Cassoulet, or other big white bean, strained
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons vinegar (Lupe used Pineapple Vinegar)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Add all the ingredients to a large salad bowl and gently toss. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Serve at room temperature.
Basic Instructions for Cooking Beans in The Rancho Gordo Manner