Beans ‘n Kale Salad

March 15, 2011 Update, since making this salad last fall, I have been making it regularly.  Something about the combination of the kale and the beans is just lovely – both indulgent and healthier.  I can no longer find Bird Egg Beans, so have been using cannellini, which require a longer cooking time, but still work wonderfully in this salad.  As such, I am submitting this recipe to this week’s Slightly Indulgent Tuesday over at Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free.

Remember these?

I have loved buying them at my local market.  First I made the Pink to Lime Salad, and then the following time I mixed the cooked shelled beans into spicy tomato sauce as part of this lunchbox.  This time, I really wanted to make a mustardy bean salad. I was initially going to use a brown mustard, but then I remembered how Heather (of Heather Eats Almond Butter) puts yellow mustard in many things, and since I had just bought both yellow and brown mustard as part of my shopping spree at Mom’s Organic Market last month, I decided to try the yellow mustard to see how it would differ from brown mustard in a bean salad.  I was really excited to find these mustards from Eden Organics as I had been looking forever for a gluten-free mustard made with apple cider vinegar (I find avoiding distilled vinegar in condiments makes a world of difference for me) and the Eden mustards fit the bill (and are not sold at my local Whole Foods):

So yes, I decided to use the organic yellow mustard.  First, though, I had to shell the pound of beans I had bought:

It seems that while they are called bird’s eye beans here, they are very similar to the Italian borlotti beans or the French coco rouges, which Maki from Just Hungry and Just Bento recently cooked into a traditional soupe au pistou.  Here are the shelled beans:

Then I cooked them for 30 minutes in boiling water. Sadly they don’t stay pink:

Beans ‘n Kale Salad (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
Makes 4 servings

• 1 pound fresh bird’s eye beans in their pod (substitute 8 oz shelled cannellini, navy or borlotti beans)
• 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp yellow mustard (brown mustard would work as well) 
• 2 scallions chopped (about 2 Tbsps)
• 1 large red bell pepper, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 2 cups lacinato (dinosaur) kale, shredded into thin strips
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• salt and pepper to taste

Shell the beans. You should end up with about 8oz of beans (or one overflowing cup measure). Place the beans in a small pot, cover with water so that there is about an inch of water above the beans.  Cook beans over medium heat for 20-30 minutes. You want them to be tender but not mushy (note, if you use cannellini or other dried beans, cooking time will be closer to an hour or 90 minutes).  While the beans are cooking, combine extra virgin olive oil with apple cider vinegar and mustard. Drain beans and pour dressing over beans.  Add scallions, pepper, kale and parsley.  Stir well to combine, ensuring all kale leaves are coasted.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

What is wonderful about this salad is that the kale holds up really well to the dressing.  I made this last night and it was delicious by the time I ate it for lunch (updated, see lunchbox) and the kale has not become soggy or wilted.   The salad is a delightful mix of crunch, sour, and refreshing.

I am submitting this to My Legume Love Affair (MLLA #28), hosted by Dil Se and created by the The Well Seasoned Cook.  Last month’s recipes looked most excellent again, and I always mean to submit my many bean recipes to this event, so this month is the month!