Bean Salad With Variations By Mark Bittman Recipes

THE WORLD OF RICE SALADS

Steps:

• Put the rice and all the vegetables in a large bowl. Drizzle with vinaigrette and use two big forks to combine, fluffing the rice and tossing gently to separate the grains.
• Stir in the parsley, taste, and adjust the seasoning or moisten with a little more dressing. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate for up to a day, bringing the salad back to room temperature before serving.
• Variations:
• Rice Salad, Japanese Style: Use brown or white short-grain rice. Halve the amount of celery and carrot and finely chop them or shred them on a grater. Add 1 cup cubed firm tofu (preferably baked). Instead of the vinaigrette, toss with 1/4 cup or so of Simple Miso Dipping Sauce (made by whisking together 6 tablespoons miso paste, 3/4 cup warm water or sake, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 tablespoon mirin or honey, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar plus more to taste, and salt to taste). Instead of the parsley, crumble 2 sheets of nori over the rice salad and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons black or white sesame seeds.
• Rice Salad, Mexican Style: Long-grain or medium-grain, white or brown, all work well here. When blending the vinaigrette, add 1 tablespoon chili powder and 2 tablespoons Mexican crema or mayonnaise. Instead of celery and carrot, add 1 cup chopped fresh tomato. Substitute chopped fresh cilantro for the parsley and, at the same time, add 2 chopped hard-cooked eggs and chopped jalapeño chiles if you like. Serve with lime wedges.
• Rice Salad, Indian Style: Use brown or white basmati rice. When making the vinaigrette, use rice wine vinegar, replace the oil with coconut milk, and add 1 tablespoon curry powder, or more to taste. Instead of the bell pepper, celery, and carrot, add 1/2 cup each cubed cooked potato, cooked cauliflower florets, and green peas (cooked frozen are fine). Substitute cilantro for the parsley.
• Citrus Rice Salad: Use any rice. Instead of red wine vinegar, make the vinaigrette with freshly squeezed citrus juice-choose from lemon, lime, orange, blood orange, tangerine, pink grapefruit, or a combination. Whatever you use, add 2 tablespoons of the grated zest and 1 tablespoon of sugar or honey to the blender. Do not include the scallion or the vegetables. (You might want to use a little less dressing.) Instead of the parsley, use mint if you like. A handful of chopped almonds or pecans make a nice addition.
• Tomato Rice Salad: Use any kind of brown or white rice. When making the vinaigrette, eliminate the vinegar and add 1 medium tomato to the blender. Instead of the scallion and other vegetables, add 2 cups chopped fresh tomato (a mixture of heirloom varieties is nice).Instead of the parsley, use chopped fresh basil or mint, or 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives, chervil, dill, or about a tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves.

SALMON SALAD WITH BEANS

Steps:

• If you are starting with raw salmon, start a charcoal or wood fire or preheat a gas grill or broiler; the rack should be about 4 inches from the heat source. Marinate the fish in the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the thyme.
• When the fire is ready - it should be quite hot - grill the fish for 3 to 4 minutes per side. At the same time, grill the red pepper. Cool, peel and seed it, then cut into strips.
• Cool the fish, then cut it into small cubes and toss it with the lemon juice, beans, and remaining olive oil while you prepare the other ingredients. Add the tomatoes, shallots, olives, and herbs to the salmon. Taste for salt and pepper and correct the balance between olive oil and lemon juice if necessary. Serve on a bed of greens, topped with the strips of grilled red pepper.

BEAN SALAD WITH VARIATIONS BY MARK BITTMAN

Steps:

• ll 1. Rinse beans, then place in a pot with water to cover by a couple of inches; bring to a boil, partly cover and simmer until tender, from 30 minutes (lentils) to as long as 2 hours or more (chickpeas and larger beans). While beans cook, stir red wine vinegar and onion together in a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir in olive oil. 2. Cook beans until just tender, before their skins split. Drain. While still hot, add them to bowl with dressing. Toss gently until coated. 3. Let cool to room temperature (or refrigerate), stirring once or twice. Stir in parsley just before serving. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Variations --Italian Style: Use cannellini or cranberry beans. Season vinegar with 1 tablespoon minced garlic and 1 teaspoon minced rosemary in addition to onions. For a milder taste, use white wine vinegar. If you have basil and you will serve salad right away, use 1/4 cup in place of rosemary. --French Style: Use Le Puy lentils or flageolet beans. Use sherry vinegar instead of red wine vinegar. Replace red onion with thinly sliced shallots. Instead of parsley, stir in 2 tablespoons minced tarragon before serving. --Greek Style: Use dried fava or gigante beans. Use fresh lemon juice, not vinegar. Add 1 tablespoon minced garlic, along with onions. Instead of parsley, finish with 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint. --Japanese Style: Use edamame or adzuki beans. Substitute rice wine vinegar for red wine vinegar and grapeseed or corn oil for olive oil. Instead of parsley, finish with 1 sheet nori, toasted and crumbled. --Indian Style: Use chickpeas. Use rice wine vinegar and 2 to 4 tablespoons minced or grated fresh ginger instead of red onion or shallot. Instead of olive oil, use 2 tablespoons peanut oil and 2 tablespoons coconut milk. Use cilantro instead of parsley.

MARK BITTMAN'S BASIC ROAST CHICKEN PARTS WITH VARIATIONS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 450°F Put the oil or butter in a roasting pan and put it in the oven for a couple of minutes, until the oil is hot or the butter melts. Add the chicken and turn it a couple of times in the fat, leaving it skin side up. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and return the pan to the oven.
• After the chicken has cooked for 15 minutes, toss about one-quarter of the herb, if you're using any, over it and turn the pieces. Sprinkle on another quarter of the herb and roast for another 10 minutes.
• Turn the chicken over (now skin side up again), add another quarter of the herb, and cook until the chicken is done (you'll see clear juices if you make a small cut in the meat near the bone), a total of 30 to 40 minutes at most. Garnish with the remaining herb and skim excess fat from the pan juices if necessary; serve, with some of the juices spooned over it.
• ROAST CHICKEN PARTS WITH BLACK BEANS VARIATION: First, soak 2 tablespoons fermented black beans in water, sherry, or wine to cover. In place of the butter or olive oil, use peanut oil or a neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn. Mix together 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 2 minced scallions, 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon sugar or honey. Drain the black beans and add them to this mixture; thin it to a paste, if necessary, with a little more soy sauce. In Step 1, spread a little of this mixture all over the raw chicken and put the chicken in the roasting pan; return the pan to the oven. Proceed with Steps 2 and 3, using the soy-based mixture for basting in place of the herb mixture.
• MORE VARIATIONS: You can combine these ideas at will; it's hard to go wrong here. Add with the chicken at the beginning of cooking unless otherwise specified. (1) Add a few sprigs of a stronger herb like thyme, sage, oregano, or rosemary. (2) Add several (or many!) cloves of garlic. (3) Add a cup or so of chopped onion, shallot, or leek. (4) Add a cup or so of sliced fresh mushrooms, after the first 15 minutes of roasting. (5) Add a lot of hot dried chiles, a couple of roasted, soaked, and chopped milder chiles, or both. (6) Add 2 or 3 lemons (oranges and limes are good too), cut in half; when the chicken is done, squeeze the hot lemon juice over it. (7) Use peanut oil instead of olive oil and add several slices of ginger and garlic after turning the chicken skin side up again. When chicken is done, drizzle with soy sauce and dark sesame oil, then garnish with scallions and/or cilantro. (8) Use Compound Butter, Flavored Oil, or Vinaigrette from the beginning of the cooking or as a basting sauce during cooking. (9) Rub the chicken with 1/2 cup or so of Pesto or any other herb paste from the beginning of the cooking. (10) Stir in a dollop of grainy French-style mustard when the chicken is done. (11) Add a couple handfuls of cherry tomatoes and some black olives after turning the chicken skin side up again. (12) Stir in a cup of any salsa in the last 10 minutes of cooking or spoon on top of the cooked chicken before serving. (13) Stir a couple tablespoons of any curry powder into a cup of yogurt or coconut milk and spoon or brush it on as a basting sauce during cooking.

THE SIMPLEST BEAN BURGERS (MARK BITTMAN)

Steps:

• Combine the beans, onion, oats, spices, salt, pepper, and egg in a food processor and pulse until chunky but not puréed, adding a little liquid if necessary (this is unlikely but not impossible) to produce a moist but not wet mixture. Let the mixture rest for a few minutes if time allows.
• With wet hands, shape into whatever size patties you want and again let rest for a few minutes if time allows. (You can make the burger mixture or even shape the burgers up to a day or so in advance. Just cover tightly and refrigerate, then bring everything back to room temperature before cooking.) Film the bottom of a large nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet with oil and turn the heat to medium. A minute later, add the patties. Cook until nicely browned on one side, about 5 minutes; turn carefully and cook on the other side until firm and browned.
• Serve on buns with the usual burger fixings. Or cool and refrigerate or freeze for later use.

BEANS MARBELLA

Steps:

• Start the beans: Rinse the beans then add them to a large, heavy pot and cover with enough cool water to generously immerse (about 12 cups). Add ¼ cup olive oil, the bay leaves, oregano and 1 teaspoon salt, then bring to a boil over high heat. Once the liquid comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the beans are very tender, 1½ to 2 hours. Add extra water by the cupful as needed to keep the beans immersed.
• Prepare the potatoes: Heat the oven to 375 degrees. On a large sheet pan, toss the potatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil; season generously with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Roast, stirring once about halfway through, until the potatoes are golden-brown and tender, about 30 minutes. Set aside.
• Finish the beans: In a large, deep skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped garlic and sauté until soft and fragrant. As soon as the edges of the garlic start to color, add the red wine and simmer until the wine is reduced by half, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked beans (you should have about 7 cups) to the reduced wine in the skillet, then add about 2 cups of their cooking liquid - you want just enough to mostly cover the beans. Add the olives, prunes and another ¼ cup olive oil, and simmer over medium, stirring occasionally, until the flavors meld and the liquid thickens slightly to form a sauce, 10 to 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Finish the potatoes: In a medium bowl, combine the minced shallot with the red wine vinegar. Add the potatoes, capers and parsley, and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Tip the potatoes on top of the beans, drizzle with olive oil and serve.

MARK BITTMAN'S QUNIOA SALAD WITH TEMPEH

Steps:

• Cook the quinoa. Rinse and drain in a fine strainer.
• Meanwhile, put the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the tempeh and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 10 minutes.
• Stir in the ginger and garlic. Cook for another minute or two.
• Stir in the tomato, if using them. Stir and turn off the heat.
• Stir in the vinegar, sesame oil, and soy sauce. Transfer to a serving bowl.
• When the quinoa is dry and cool, toss with the tempeh mixture and mung beans.
• Taste and add salt, if necessary, and add a healthy dose of black pepper. Garnish with scallions and cilantro.