February showers make us long for bright flavors and creative combos. At San Anselmo’s cozy Valenti & Co, Chef Duilio Valenti serves a delicious butter bean and salt-cured Meyer lemon salad that hits all the high notes in both flavor and texture. It’s a dish that is as beautiful as it is healthful. Creamy beans cooked just right. Zingy lemons for a big, bold pop of flavor. And edible flowers for a beautiful finish. Enjoy this with warm crusty bread to soak up every perfect drop.
Butter Bean and Salt-Cured Meyer Lemon Salad
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 1 cup dried butter beans
- 1 Meyer lemon, thinly sliced, seeded
- Sea salt
- 1 carrot, diced
- 1 heart of celery, diced
- 1 small sweet onion, diced
- 1 tomato, diced
- Ground black pepper
- Mixed greens, frisée or hearts of escarole
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Edible flowers
Directions:
Soak the beans in cold water with a pinch of baking soda and let them sit on the counter overnight. Also the day before, slice the Meyer lemon as thin as possible. Lay the slices on a plate and cover in sea salt. Cover the plate and let sit on the counter, overnight.
Rinse the beans in cold water and cook them on medium heat with plenty of salted water until you can pierce them with a toothpick without any resistance, 30–45 minutes. Do not drain the beans while they are hot. Let them cool completely in the water; this will keep them plump and moist. Once cooled, drain the beans and set aside.
Rinse the lemon slices to eliminate excess salt. Pat them dry, cut into quarters and set aside.
In a sauté pan over low heat, cook the carrot, celery and onion with 2–3 tablespoons of olive oil for 4–5 minutes. Add the diced tomato and sauté for two more minutes. Turn off the heat and add the drained beans. Lightly season with salt and pepper, mix well and arrange the beans on a serving plate.
Add the mixed greens and salt-cured lemon slices to a mixing bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to combine and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Pile the greens on top of the beans and garnish with colorful edible flowers.
