Bean Salad with Shrimp

Posted by Don from NJ at unknown.com 9/25/2001 7:35 am

Source: Asbury Park Press

1 1/2 cups dried Great Northern or cannellini beans
2 quarts water
3 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup plus 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for saut?ing and drizzling
3 to 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or a mild wine vinegar, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus pepper to taste
1 cup finely chopped red onion
1 cup chopped vine-ripened tomatoes
4 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, mint or flat-leaf parsley
24 large- or medium-size shrimp, peeled and deveined

To prepare the beans, pick them over, rinse well, place them in a bowl with water to cover generously and soak overnight. The next day, drain the beans and place them in a sauce pan with the 2 quarts water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until tender but not soft, about 40 to 45 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons of salt during the last 15 minutes of cooking. Remove from heat. You should have about 3 cups of cooked beans. (I prepared the beans ahead of time, drained, then refrigerated them, and warmed them with a little olive oil on the stove top before proceeding with the recipe.)

Transfer the warmed beans to a bowl and toss them with the 1/3 cup olive oil, 3 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt and the 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Let the beans cool and absorb the flavor of the dressing. When cool, add the remaining 1/2 cup olive oil, the onion, tomatoes and 2 tablespoons of the herbs. Mix well, then taste and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper. You may want to add more lemon juice or vinegar, too.

Pour enough olive oil into a saut? pan to form a light film on the bottom and place over high heat. When it is hot, add the shrimp and saut? quickly until pink and cooked through, about 3 minutes.

To serve, spoon beans into an attractive serving dish. Arrange the shrimp on the top, sprinkle with a little salt and drizzle with a bit of olive oil or with lemon juice or vinegar and oil. Top with the remaining chopped herbs.

Serves 6.