Salad of Limas, Green Beans, and Chickpeas W/ Lemon and Parsley

ratherbeswimmin''s Note:

Crescent Dragonwagon

• Total Time: 1 hrs
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 1/2 lb green beans, stem ends snipped, sliced into 2-inch pieces
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen baby lima beans, thawed
• 2 carrots, sliced on the diagonal
• 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, well drained
• 2 celery ribs, diced
• 1/2 large red onion, sliced in half and then crosswise, pulled into paper-thin slices
• salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• 1 -2 lemon, halved
• 1/3-1/2 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley
• 1 -3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Bring 1 ½ inches water to a boil in a pan over medium heat; place a steaming basket over the boiling water and add the green beans.
2. Cover and steam until the beans are still crisp-tender with a little bite, but have lost all rawness (if the beans are slim and tender, this should be 3-4 minutes; fatter beans can take 10-12 minutes).
3. Remove steamer from the pot, reserving the steaming water; rinse the green beans under cold water; drain well, transfer beans to a bowl.
4. Repeat the same process with the lima beans over the same water, steaming for about 10 minutes; once they are cooked, rinse with cold water, drain, and combine with the green beans.
5. Repeat the same process with the carrots, again using the same steaming water, steaming for 1 minute; rinse, drain, and add to the beans in the bowl.
6. Leaving the cover off the steaming pot, remove the steamer, and raise the heat to a hard boil; cook to reduce the steaming liquid to 1 tablespoon or less (6-8 minutes); watch closely so you don’t scorch the liquid.
7. While the steaming liquid is reducing add the chickpeas, celery, and red onion to the bean mixture, along with salt and pepper to taste.
8. Squeeze the first lemon into the salad through a strainer (to catch the seeds); if it’s not very juicy, squeeze in the juice of the second lemon.
9. Stir in the mixed parsley and the oil.
10. Add the reduced steaming liquid and stir to blend.
11. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours; overnight is better.
12. Before serving, bring to room temperature, taste, and if necessary, reseason.