I make a n-bean salad for potlucks & large parties. The value of n depends upon how many servings you want to end up with. I usually call it "confetti salad" because that's the final presentation idea -- lots of small pieces like confetti.
This is more of construction or assembly instructions rather than a recipe.
Minimum value of n, so far, has been 3 -- kidney, garbanzo, and the small white beans. The upper limit for n is probably around 6, depending upon the resources of your grocery store. You can use fresh soybeans (edamame) as one of the beans. I also like using canned hominy as one of the "beans"; if I do, I always include corn kernels (frozen) as one of the crunch elements.
My cooking prowess with dried beans is rather dismal, so I use canned beans.
For each 15-ounce can of beans (or hominy), you will need an equal volume of crunchy stuff -- red & green bell peppers, celery, jicama, apples, bok choi stems (but not the green leaves), peas (frozen), corn kernels: white, yellow or both (frozen), carrots--let your imagination be your guide. I'd include celery and green bell pepper at the minimum.
I don't include green beans, since most members of my family dislike them even as a trace ingredient in salad. Your milage may vary.
I do not usually include onions, as many of my family members dislike them. Your milage may vary. If you do use onions, choose the sweetest, mildest onion you can find, and hold the volume down to less than 10% of final volume--unless, of course, you are cooking for onion-lovers.
Procedure:
Estimate the final volume of the salad (2 x 15 oz x n). Obtain a mixing bowl that is significantly larger than final volume.
Open the can of kidney beans and drain, reserving the can juices for the eventual dressing. Put the beans in mixing bowl.
Open the other (n-1) cans. Taste the can juices. If YOU like the flavor, reserve the can juices for eventual dressing. Otherwise, drain and discard, rinsing the beans.(Personally, while I love garbanzo beans, the canning liquid is nasty.)
Dressing
You can use any standard vinaigrette that you like, or:
For every can of beans, make about 2 1/2 tablespoons of dressing, or for 3 cans of beans, end up with 8 tablespoons (1/2 cup).
I tend to use:
The reserved juice from the kidney beans, plus 1 part white wine vinegar to 1 part bottled lemon juice, unless Meyer lemons are handy, in which case I juice the Meyer lemons, plus an oil, usually a mild olive oil or a bit hazelnut oil and a mild olive oil.
Like this:
1 tablespoon kidney bean juice
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon oil (as above)
a pinch of mashed garlic
a bit more of Dijon (prepared) mustard
fresh ground pepper, to taste
Wisk together and taste. You may feel the need to add salt or otherwise adjust the seasonings.
Some recipes add sugar, to the tune of 2-3 tablespoons of sugar for each can of beans. I have added a bit of sugar to the dressing, if I don't have any lemon juice on hand, but not at that rate.
I like to stir the salad together about an hour before serving to allow the flavors to mingle. The peas (if used) tend to get khaki-colored, even with the light vinaigrette, in that time so you might add the peas just before serving.
The emergency, OMG I forgot I was supposed to bring a salad to the potluck version:
1 canopener
1 gallon ziplock bag
1 bag "coleslaw mix" -- the ones with carrots
1 can kidney beans
1 can garbanzos
(optional) 1 more can beans, your choice
1 bottle of your favorite prepared low-fat vinaigrette salad dressing
Open & dump coleslaw mix & kidney beans straight into the ziplock bag. Shake.
Open & drain remaining can(s) of beans, then dump into bag. Shake.
Shake the bottle of vinaigrette. Pour into ziplock bag as much as you see fit. Shake.
You are good to go.
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