Three Bean Salad

Courtesy of someone else's grandma this time...

Last week, part of our CSA share was pole beans. I expected pole beans to be like string beans so when i got to CSA and they looked like this:

(image courtesy of www.fooduniversity.com)

I was a bit surprised.

And had no idea what to do with them...  then i googled and was totally unexcited about using them, as most of the links i read told me that they were fiberous and needed a lot of cooking to be edible.  (spoiler alert:  those links were WRONG!  the pole beans were my favorite part of this salad...)

that didnt really sound fun, so i put them aside and hoped for a miracle use to fall into my lap...  (given my 'use it all resolve'...)

Then this past week, we got some string beans and some more favas.  and frankly, i was sick of favas with pasta so i started asking around...  and found out that fellow core member michelle had a great idea - bean salad...

So i asked her more about this bean salad...  she had taken her favas (last week featured favas as well) and her pole beans and some other beans she had at home and made a 3 bean salad...

I was intruiged and, frankly, pretty excited to use 3 CSA ingredients all at once!  So i looked it up - and had no idea what to do...

a quick email and she gave up her grandma's recipe for bean salad...  i didnt even have to bribe her...

We made a few adaptations based on her recommendations and the ingredients we had on hand and, oh, would you look at that?  Miracle use for pole beans AND 4 csa ingredients in one dish.

hell yeah.

---

Three Bean Salad
courtesy of Michelle's grandma with adaptations by me


1 lb fava beans, shelled & blanched
3/4 lbs string beans, cut into 1-2" segments
1/2 lb pole beans, cut into 1-2" segments

1/4 c sugar
1/4 c olive oil
1/3 c red wine vinegar
1 head spring garlic, minced super-fine
salt
pepper

***

Boil a pot of salted water
Once boiling, throw pole beans in.
Allow to cook ~ 3 minutes.

Then throw string beans in with them.
Cook ~ 5 minutes

Then throw prepared favas in with them
Cook ~ 1 more minute.

Drain & run under cold water to stop the beans from cooking.

Whisk sugar, vinegar, olive oil and garlic together.

Once beans are cool, toss dressing with beans, add salt & pepper to taste and serve
*Or*
Refrigerate and allow to 'marinate' for an hour or more & serve cold.