Most Italian cold cuts would also compliment this salad nicely.

1C dried white beans

2 celery stalks chopped fine

4 green onions, sliced, whites and greens divided on 2 of the scallions

2 chili peppers, divided

1 garlic clove, grated

1T butter

1T dill, chopped fine

1t mint, chopped fine

½ a lime

1/2C mayo

¼ C yogurt

½ an orange

2 carrots, grated

5 stalks kale, chopped

4 bunches spinach, chopped

8oz white mushrooms, sliced

1 cucumber sliced into ¼ inch half moons

5 radishes, sliced

8 olives, sliced off the pit

¼ C pecorino chunks

 

Cook beans in water to cover by one inch for ½ an hour.  Add celery, the whites of 2 green onions, and one chili pepper, scored lengthwise but not severed in half, and 1t salt and cook for another half hour.  Add garlic, pepper and cook until almost all of the water is absorbed.  Turn off the heat and add butter, dill, mint, lime juice, and the green onion greens and put in the refrigerator to let cool.

While the beans are cooking, combine mayo, yogurt, juice and zest of one half an orange, the remaining green onions and seeded chili pepper together in a large bowl.  Season.  Grate carrots over, top with spinach and kale, mushrooms, cucumber, radishes and olives and toss until coated with the dressing.  Chill until the beans are done and chilled for 10 minutes.  Add cheese chunks to the salad, stir beans to cool evenly, and let both sit for another 10 minutes.

To serve, mound the salad on the plate, create a crater in the middle of the salad and fill with the beans.  Garnish with herbs if you like.

Cooking time: Approximately 1 hour 30 minutes

Serves 2-4 as a meal