Ayocote Bean and Mushsroom Salad

                                             

                                       Ayocote Bean  Salad

Heidi Swanson continues to inspire a lot of us every day. From her website and books, she always has something interesting going on and she’s quick to share. She’s been a supporter of Rancho Gordo almost from the start and when she opens a bag of beans, it’s always fun to see what she comes up with. Recently she posted this delicious recipe using the Ayocote Negro beans. The Ayocote Morados or Scarlet Runners would also be comparable but I think if I have time this weekend, I may experiment with Christmas Limas. Hearty beans and mushrooms always seem to play well together.

 Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
shallot vinaigrette
1/3 cup minced shallots
1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salad:
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 pound sliced mushrooms
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
4 cups cooked Ayocote Negro beans (see above for more options)
3 celery stalks, chopped
1/3 cup sliced dried figs
1/3 cup chopped toasted almonds
1 big handful of shredded radicchio and/or kale
micro greens or chopped chives to finish

Directions:
Combine the shallots with the red wine vinegar in a small bowl. Allow to sit for ten minutes or so. Whisk in the salt, and olive oil. Taste and adjust if needed. If your vinaigrette is too harsh, add a small amount of honey or a sprinkling of sugar to take the edge off.

In the meantime, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, and salt, and cook, stirring a few times along the way, until the mushrooms take on color and release their water. About 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and gently fold the beans, celery, figs, and almonds into the skillet with the mushrooms. Pour the shallot vinaigrette over everything, add the shredded radicchio/kale, and toss before serving.