Marinated Butter Bean Salad

Makes about 3 cups | Easily doubled

These large, creamy beans are absolutely divine to marinate!  You can often find them canned in a rich tomato sauce in Mediterranean markets and they make great picnic food.  While the tomato plants are barely in the ground in Portland, this nice stretch of hot weather had me thinking of bean salad - so this is a late spring twist with radishes fresh from the garden, along with the first few basil leaves (!). 

It’s a nice, fresh accompaniment to a mezze spread that you can throw together with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry, or outside your back door.  The base is beans, celery, onion, and sweetened vinegar, and you can add to that whatever is on hand and in season.  It holds well, and like all things marinated, gets better with age.  No one will know that these are actually baby lima beans!  See, I shouldn’t have told you… just try it and be captivated by the deliciousness.

Combine in a medium bowl:

• 1 – 15 oz can of butter beans (or beans of your choice), drained and rinsed
• 1 celery heart, diced fairly finely (about a cup – leave and all)
• 1 handful of radishes (or other seasonal veggies), diced
• ¼ of a large sweet onion, such as Walla Walla or Mayan sweet, dice finely
• Small handful basil (or other fresh herbs), chiffonaded
• 5 or 6 pepperonchini[i], diced with seeds
• ¼ to ½ c of seasoned rice wine vinegar (low salt, low sugar), depending on how ‘briny’ you like it
• 1 T agave nectar
• Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, flavored is nice to complement your choice of herbs – I used basil infused evoo in this one
• Sea salt & lots of fresh cracked black pepper

Mix all together, taste and correct seasoning as needed.  Let sit for 20 minutes at least to let the flavors meld and permeate the beans.  Serve alongside appies, or with something hot off the grill. 

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[i] Pronounced pep-per-awn-CHEE-nee, these pickled peppers may also be labeled as Golden Greek peppers, or Tuscan peppers, and can be found in both sweet and medium-hot varieties. If you can’t find these, you can substitute pickled banana peppers, or pickled veggies of your choice and a little heat such as red pepper flakes or Tabasco – you get the idea.