When cooking dry beans, I’m a quick soak advocate. I also have a pretty strong opinion about not salting the cooking liquid until the beans are fully cooked—salt too early and they can turn tough. The quick soak just speeds everything up without compromising texture.
This recipe cooks a full pound of beans, but you’ll only use half for the salad. The rest goes in the fridge for later in the week.
Ingredients
- 1 lb dry flageolet beans (or another small, thin-skinned bean with a creamy, buttery texture)
- 1 small cucumber, large dice
- ½ red onion, medium dice
- ½ pint cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
- ⅓ jar pitted olives, halved or quartered
- A few stems flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- Sprinkle of fleur de sel
- Optional: Parmesan shavings
Instructions
- Quick soak the beans:
Start by boiling a kettle of water. Meanwhile, rinse the flageolet beans in a bowl, removing any pebbles or discolored beans. Pour the boiling water over the beans to cover by 1″. Let them soak for 1 hour. - Cook the beans:
Drain the soaked beans and transfer to a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Cover with fresh water by about 1″. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-low heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 1 hour. Test a few beans—they should be tender and creamy, not grainy. If they need more time, simmer for another 15 minutes and test again. - Cool and prep:
Drain the beans and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. - Assemble the salad:
Prep your vegetables and add them to a large salad bowl. Add half of the cooked beans (save the rest for another meal), then drizzle with the olive oil and vinegar. Toss gently and season to taste with fleur de sel. - Optional finishing touch:
A few parmesan shavings over the top are never a bad idea.
This salad gets even better after a day in the fridge and will hold up well for up to a week.