Texas Three-Bean Salad

 

                This variation on a common dish takes advantage of a German-style sweet-sour dressing that is similar to some dressings used in potato salads. When you're in a hurry, substitute canned kidney and garbanzo beans, but stick with fresh green beans.

Serves 6 to 8

• 2 cups cooked kidney beans
• 2 cups cooked garbanzo beans
• 2 cups cooked green beans or yellow wax beans, or a combination of the two
• 2 tablespoons oil, canola or corn
• 2 slices slab bacon, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• ¾ cup unsalted chicken stock
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons prepared yellow mustard
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• ½ medium green bell pepper, chopped
• ¼ cup minced parsley
• Salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste

1. Combine the beans in a large bowl.
2. Warm the oil in a saucepan over medium heat ; add the bacon and fry it until it is brown and crisp ; with a slotted spoon, remove the bacon from the pan, drain it, and reserve it.
3. To the bacon drippings and oil, add the onion and garlic, and cook them over medium heat until they are softened ; mix the flour.
4. Pour in the vinegar and stock, stirring, and add the sugar, mustard, and paprika ; simmer the dressing for about 10 minutes, adding the celery and bell pepper in the last couple of minutes ; they should be softened slightly, but retain some crunch.
5. Remove the saucepan from the heat, and stir in the parsley ; taste, and add salt and pepper as you wish.
6. Stir the dressing into the beans.
7. Chill the salad, covered, for at least 2 hours ; stir the reserved bacon before serving.
8. The salad keeps for several days.

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