The dried butter bean – a.k.a. the lima bean – is a thrifty, unpretentious pantry staple that takes on other flavours well. This salad is bright with lots of fresh Italian parsley and a zippy sherry vinaigrette. Radicchio is a hearty lettuce that’s crunchy enough to stand up to the warm butter beans and peppery slices of chorizo.
Warm Butter Bean Salad With Chorizo
This salad combines warm butter beans and peppery chorizo; tossed with fresh Italian parsley and a zippy sherry vinaigrette.
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups extra-large dried butter beans (lima beans) sorted and rinsed
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 120 g cooked mild dry chorizo cut into 1/4-inch cubes
- ½ cup piquillo peppers thinly sliced
- 1 head radicchio
- 1 cup Italian parsley leaves
- ½ cup shaved Parmigiano Reggiano optional
Sherry Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 1 shallot minced
- 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ¾ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp thyme leaves
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place butter beans in large bowl, cover with 3 inches cold water and let stand at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours. Drain and rinse beans.
- In large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, add beans and enough cold water to cover them by 4 inches. Bring almost to a boil, skimming off any foam. Add salt, rosemary and bay leaf. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until tender and creamy inside but not falling apart, about 60 minutes. Drain; discard rosemary and bay leaf.
- While beans are cooking, make Sherry Vinaigrette. In large non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium. Add garlic and shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until light golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vinegar, lemon zest, lemon juice, paprika, thyme, salt and pepper. Add the warm butter beans, stirring to coat. Let them marinate in the vinaigrette until ready to use, 30 minutes or longer. When ready to serve, stir in chorizo and piquillo peppers and gently warm for 3 or 4 minutes over low heat.
- To serve, tear radicchio into bite-sized pieces and scatter over a large platter. Sprinkle with parsley and top with warm butter beans; finish with shaved Parmigiano Reggiano (if using).
Notes
Cooking time will vary depending on the size and age of the beans. Be patient, and you will be rewarded with creamy butter beans.
