Mary Lynns Bean Salad Recipes

Steps:

• Prepare a large bowl of ice water. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and add to the ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and pat very dry. Add to a serving bowl along with the cannellini beans, chickpeas, tomatoes, sliced celery and leaves, red onion, peperoncini, olives and parsley.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, peperoncini brine, sugar, 1 teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper. Whisk in the olive oil to make a smooth dressing. Pour over the bean mixture and toss well. Season with salt if needed. This salad can be made a day ahead --- the green beans may discolor a bit because of the lemon juice but will taste even better with the longer marination time.

Steps:

• 1. In a colander, drain the beans and rinse under cold water. Shake the beans to release all the water and let drain for a few minutes (be sure to rinse ALL the juice off the beans until the water runs clear and they're not sticky). Put all the beans in a large glass or plastic bowl.
• 2. Combine the granulated sugar and water in a microwave safe bowl and microwave 3-4 minutes until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from microwave, and then add salt & chili flakes (if using). Stir to incorporate, make the sugar is fully dissolved and then set aside.
• 3. Prepared the bell pepper, onion, and celery then add to the bowl with the drained beans.
• 4. Add vinegar to the marinade, stir to combine, then pour marinade over the salad and give it all a stir. Transfer the salad to a half-gallon Mason jar, or 2 quart size Mason jars (or, any other clean glass container you like).
• 5. Seal the jars with lid(s) and shake to distribute the marinade over the top of the beans. Leave on countertop for a few hours, then refrigerate. If the marinade doesn't cover the beans completely, then you'll need to shake the jar(s) every once in a while to redistribute the ingredients.
• 6. Let sit for a minimum of 24-hours before serving.
• 7. The salad will keep 4-6 weeks stored in the refrigerator. Serve using a large slotted spoon to allow the marinade to drain back into the jar.
• 8. Note: Once the bean salad is gone, I like to use the left over marinade as a dressing on green salad or pasta salad.

Steps:

• Combine the green beans, wax beans, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, green pepper, onion, and celery in a large bowl; toss to mix.
• Whisk together the oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and sugar in a separate bowl until the sugar is dissolved; pour over the bean mixture. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight before serving.

Steps:

• Mix dressing and pour over bean mixture.
• This keeps in the refrigerator for a long time!