Butter Bean and Bacon Salad with Herb Vinaigrette

INGREDIENTS

Baby Lima Beans:

  • 1 lb. Llano Seco Baby Butter Beans
  • 2 quarts water (enough to cover the beans by several inches of water)

Bacon

  • 1 lb. Llano Seco Bacon Lardons (or small diced bacon) 
  • 1/8 cup water 
  • 1/2 cup white wine or champagne vinegar 

Vinaigrette

  • cooled vinegar mixture from cooking bacon
  • 1/4 preserved lemon 
  • Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon 
  • 3 cloves garlic 
  • 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper 
  • 2 tsp sugar or honey 
  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard 
  • 1/2 cup olive oil 

Herbs

  • 1 small bunch green onions (both white and green parts) 
  • 1/2 bunch parsley 
  • 1 small bunch chervil 
  • 1 small bunch dill 

DIRECTIONS

Beans

  1. Rinse Butter Beans and soak overnight 
  2. Cook beans on medium heat until fully cooked but not so soft they fall apart. 
  3. Drain and set aside 

Bacon

  1. Combine bacon and water in pan. 
  2. Cook on medium heat until bacon is crispy and drain on paper towel.
  3. Pour off bacon fat from pan and add vinegar to pan. Scrape off crispy bits stuck to pan and simmer on low for 30 seconds. 
  4. Turn off heat and set aside to cool. 

Vinaigrette and Herbs

  1. Blend all vinaigrette ingredients except olive oil on medium/high until smooth. 
  2. Slowly stream in olive oil until completely blended. 
  3. Toss Butter Beans in vinaigrette while beans are still warm. 
  4. Refrigerate until completely cooled- overnight is best. 
  5. Finely chop all herbs. 
  6. Mix together herbs, beans and bacon. 
  7. Taste, adjust with salt and pepper if needed and serve. 

Makes 8 Cups