this salad was totally meant to be made as a traditional salad, meaning with some sort of leafy green tossed in there. however, a few weeks i had dental work done, not knowing i would not be able to chew so well, i had gone to the famers' market a few days prior and picked up some zucchini and summer squash. without wanting my beautiful, first-of-the-season squashes to go to waste, i thought about what i could do with them. zucchini-squash pasta? some sort of saute? perhaps a zucchini pancake? then i thought about them in a salad, ribboned with herbs. as i started picking my herbs from my (fire escape) garden i thought how amazing a herby-chimichurri vinaigrette would be - i would use red wine vinegar instead of lemon juice, add some crushed red pepper for a little heat, and i would toast some nuts for a more substantial dressing that would hold up next to the ribbons of squash. i thought i was finished dreaming up this little creation until i looked in the refrigerator and saw some leftover black lotus rice. in it went, and delicious it was! this time around i wanted the dish to be solid enough for a meal on its own. so when i saw these absolutely gorgeous cranberry beans i quickly scooped them up, took them home, and added them for some hearty protein.
this has become a quick and easy summer meal, as well as a plentiful side dish for us. plus it can be refrigerated and eaten throughout the week. serve it cold or room temperature, this salad of sorts lends itself to picnics, a day at the beach, or just a night at home. i paired the beans and zucchini with black rice. however, any grain will work wonderfully here, whether you prefer another type of rice, quinoa, or farro. as for bean substitutions, i could see chickpeas or fava beans being just as good.
cranberry bean + ribboned zucchini salad
| serves 6
4 medium zucchinis (or 2 large), washed, trimmed, and ribboned
1/2 pound fresh cranberry beans (8 ounces), shelled
1/4 cup red onion, minced
1 cup black rice, cooked
1 ripe avocado, sliced
3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
1 tablespoon cilantro, julienned
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons packed fresh basil
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme
1/2 clove garlic
1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon olive oil
one pinch fine grain sea salt (about 1/8 teaspoon)
instructions
make the beans and rice
- in a saucepan, combine 1 cup black rice with 2 cups water. bring to a boil, turn to low and cover the pot. cook for 25-30 minutes. let rest and cool
- in a medium saucepan, cover the beans with water. bring to a boil, turn down heat to a simmer; cook for 10-15 minutes depending on the freshness of your beans. drain, season with salt and pepper. set aside
make the vinaigrette
- in a food processor, combine the herbs, garlic, crushed red pepper, pine nuts, olive oil, vinegar, and salt. blend the ingredients, scraping down the sides until combined
make the salad
- in a large serving bowl, combine the chopped red onion and rice, taste and season with salt and pepper. add zucchini ribbons, beans, and avocado; toss gently with the vinaigrette. garnish with cilantro and pine nuts
enjoy