The Bijouxs kitchen jewels are classic, yet modern in style, an eclectic collection, always celebrating the everyday beauty all around us, right here in our kitchens. Heirloom beans, an everyday beauty, spun into a classic salad – little kitchen jewels to share.
Since 2010, with sincere thanks to those of you who have been onboard with Bijouxs from the start, my point of view has always been bringing foward a collection of little jewel recipes, pantry staples and equipment that provide simple lasting value, the beautiful essentials many of which I have collected from over three decades of cooking, both professionally and at home.
The kitchen jewels sometimes are the result of joyful collaborations, bringing fresh ways to look at food. Not precious or fussy, the little kitchen jewels I share provide practical foundations for the home cook’s little jewel kitchen.
Heirloom beans, wonderful new gems in the marketplace, are delicious and so enjoyable to cook, with their beautiful colors, unique shapes and flavors. I picked up a bag of Chestnut (Christmas) Limas from Farmshop, beautifully mottled brown and white beans, with a nutty, meaty texture, not the maligned lima bean many of us know.
Here the beans are featured in my Heirloom Cobb Salad, a spin on the classic Cobb that simply begins with an assortment of lettuce collected from the farmer’s market as the base, then on-hand ingredients, a salty feta cheese, pear tomatoes, small Persian cucumbers, green onions, hard-cooked eggs, the always present avocado, along with cooked chestnut limas acting as a stand-in for the traditional bacon.
Serve the Heirloom Cobb with a cruet of your favorite French vinagirette or the one I have included in the recipe card. I enjoy serving the salad in summer on a platter, allowing guests to choose their salad components and toss in individual chilled salad bowls.
Look for heirloom beans at Farmshop, in many local markets or online from Rancho Gordo. Cook the heirloom beans according the package directions and keep on hand for tossed salads, they are also nice for a marinated bean salad.
It’s hot, stay cool with an Heirloom Cobb Salad, another simple little kitchen jewel.
As always, enjoy. B
That’s a beauty of a bean shot! I have some of those beans (from Surfas) that have been sitting around for a few years. How long do they last?
Next time you go to Farmshop, I wanna go! Have never been and it’s on my side of town. : )
Good question – I think most beans have a shelf life of about 2 years – if they are kept at a stable temperature (70°). My Grandmother dried beans and stored them for a long time in her pantry, but always good to check on the vendor’s website:) I love these Chestnut Limas!