Karl’s Three Bean Salad Plus with Kumquat Marmalade Dressing

Eilene’s friends came over to binge watch the last two episodes of GoT. I really do not mind feeding them, as long as Eilene gives me more than a five minutes warning that the hungry hordes are descending. Eilene and her friends like to  be “spontaneous,” but this time they gave me 24 hours notice—one of them even requested three bean salad.

To go with the salad, I decided on a big pile of bratwurst. Eilene, of course, after they had started eating asked, “Where are the fries? You always make fries when you make bratwurst.” Silly me, I had thought the starchy salad would be enough.

I make a lot of marmalade—most of which I give away. Those jars that I do not give away, I try and find uses for beyond merely spreading it on toast. As a base for a salad dressing is one solution I have used.

Karl’s Three Bean Salad Plus with Kumquat Marmalade Dressing

Ingredients

Salad

1 lb. fresh green beans

1 can low sodium kidney beans (1 lb.)
1 can low sodium garbanzo beans (1 lb.)
10 small red radishes, quartered
2 carrots, cut into matchsticks
2 stalks celery, cut into matchsticks
2 Persian cucumbers, quartered lengthwise and sliced
¼ cup red onion, sliced into thin rings and quartered

Dressing

4 Tbs. kidney bean can broth
3 Tbs. apple cider vinegar
3 Tbs. Karl’s Kumquat Marmalade
3 Tbs. vegetable oil
½ tsp. black pepper, cracked
½ tsp. Mediterranean oregano
½ tsp. chervil
½ tsp. thyme
½ tsp. Kosher salt
⅛ tsp. celery seeds
Pinch dry yellow mustard (I use Colman’s)

Directions

1. Trim and cut the green beans into 1 inch pieces.

2. Steam the green beans for 4-5 minutes until just “crisp tender.”

Tip: Shock the green beans in ice water, so that they do not overcook.

3. Drain and put the green beans in a large salad bowl.

4. Drain the kidney beans into a small bowl.

Tip: Reserve some of the can liquor for the dressing.

5. Rinse and drain the kidney beans well and put them in the bowl.

6. Rinse and drain the garbanzo beans.

7. Put the garbanzos, radishes, celery, carrots, cucumbers, and onion into the bowl.

8. Put 3 tablespoons of the kidney bean liquid into a small pot.

9. Add the rest of the dressing ingredients to the pot.

Tip: The mustard acts as an emulsifier to keep the oil from separating out of the dressing.

10. Bring the pot to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the dressing thickens slightly, about 3 minutes.

Tip: The bean starch in the can liquid acts as a thickener.

11. Briefly let the dressing cool and then pour it over the salad.

Tip: After the dressing had cooled, there was still oil floating on top of the dressing. I transferred the dressing to a small lidded jar and shook it until the oil was thoroughly emulsified.

12. Toss to coat and let the salad meld for at least one hour.

Tip: Toss occasionally to redistribute the dressing.

13. Serve chilled.