Linda's Bean Salad

Divorce is a funny thing.   You not only lose your spouse but in most cases you lose an entire branch of people that have been your family for a very long time, as if by still associating with you they are being disloyal or some such.  Fair dues.  I completely understand.   This is my ex sister in law's recipe that she shared with me eons ago it seems.  It's the best bean salad you could ever eat.   I love it around the holidays because it goes great on the buffet table, lasts forever and tastes better with each day that passes.  Oh, and it serves a lot of people!  The lime juice is my addition to the recipe.  I like the extra tang it gives.



I dug it out and made it recently for a party we were having at church for the ladies.   Each had been asked to bring a salad to share and I thought this would be the perfect one to bring as it makes a lot and everyone always loves it.



I was completely wrong.   I was the only one who ate any of it.   The British don't seem to understand bean salad.   To them it's like eating a kangaroo, or an armadillo . . . maybe even snake.   They avoided it like the plague.  Nobody else touched it at all.   I was quite fascinated by their disdain of it actually.  Perhaps someone can enlighten me?  In any case, this is the best bean salad ever.   And I stand by that statement.  Unless you are a Brit, in which case, it's extremely suspect and to be avoided at all costs! ha ha

*Linda's Bean Salad*

Makes a lot, but keeps for days

Printable Recipe  

This is my ex sister-in-law's recipe which she gave me about 20 years ago.   It's the best bean salad I have ever eaten. 

1 tin of green beans, drained (15 ounce)

1 tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed (15 ounce)

1 tin of kidney beans, drained and rinsed (15 ounce)

1 tin flagelot or cannelini beans, drained and rinsed (15 ounces)

1 small tin of sweet corn niblets, drained (about 4 ounces)

1 tin of baby corn, drained (15 ounce) and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 small red onion, peeled and finely chopped

1/2 red pepper, trimmed and chopped

1/2 green pepper, trimmed and chopped

1 stalk of celery, trimmed and chopped 

For the dressing:

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar (80 ml)

1/3 cup granulated sugar (65g)

1/4 cup vegetable oil (60ml)

1 TBS Worcestershire sauce

1 TBS lime juice

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried parsley

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper 

Whisk all of the ingredients together for the dressing in a large bowl.  Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.   Dump in all of the well drained tins of beans along with the chopped vegetables.   Toss to coat. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for several hours to allow the flavours to meld, giving them a stir every so often.  (This is a salad which gets better with sitting.  In fact I usually make it the night before I want to serve it, storing it in a well sealed plastic box and giving it a good shake every so often.)  Use a slotted spoon to serve.

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