Smoky Three Bean Salad- An Updated Summer Classic

Nothing says summer (or almost summer) than the return of salads. As a kid, I'm not sure I was much of a fan of salads....especially those wobbly green jello salads... who the heck thought those things up??? Jello and Salad should not even be mentioned in the same sentence. But I always loved my mom's three bean salad. I could eat loads of the stuff, which I did, and which I usually regretted a few hours later, once all those beans started to take effect. On that note (pun intended), here is an updated version of a favourite summer classic.  It features chipotles, adobo sauce, and cilantro (mmmm cilantro). That pretty much sold me on it really, before I even tasted it. It's a great blend of flavours, especially if you have some time and let it marinate overnight.  Of course, I don't always have that much foresight, so I can  tell you it still tastes great freshly prepared. Serve as a side dish, a main dish, warm or cold. Beautiful colours and wonderful textures. Very versatile and very delicious. Perfect for a warm, sunny, long weekend. Happy Victoria Day!

Smoky Three Bean Salad
(For a good article on the chef who created this recipe and other recipes like it, click here)


Serves 10

1 lb green beans, trimmed, cut in 1 inch pieces
1 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup Smoky Chipotle Dressing
1 /2 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
salt an freshly ground pepper
19 oz can of chickpeas, rinsed well
19 oz can of red kidney beans, rinsed well
1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, diced small
1 medium red onion, finely diced

Steam the green beans for about 5 minutes, until they are crisp yet tender. Rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain.

In a large bowl, whisk the Smoky Chipotle Dressing and vinegar. Add the green beans, chickpeas, kidney beans, the sun-dried tomatoes, and the onion. Stir well. Cover and refrigerate over night if possible, you'll get a more flavourful salad.

Serve warm or chilled.


Smoky Chipotle Dressing

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp orange juice
2 tbsp finely chopped red onion
1 chipotle pepper packed in adobo sauce, finely chopped
1 tbsp adobo sauce
1 tbsp finely chopped cilantro leaves
1/4 tsp ground cumin
salt and ground pepper to taste

In a blender, combine the oil, orange juice, red onion, chipotle, adobo sauce, cilantro, and cumin. Blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate in sealed container for up to 2 weeks. Makes about 1/2 a cup.