Pole-and-Shell-Bean Salad With Mint

Ingredients

Salad
1⁄2 cup fresh cranberry beans, shelled
1⁄2 pound wax beans, cut into 1-inch lengths
1⁄2 cup fresh peas
1⁄2 cup fresh fava or lima beans, shelled
1⁄2 pound haricots verts, cut into 1-inch lengths
1⁄4 cup minced shallots

Lemon Vinaigrette
1⁄2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Coarse salt and freshly ground white pepper
1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves, cut into a chiffonade

Instructions

Salad
In a saucepan, cook the cranberry beans in boiling salted water over high heat for about 20 minutes, until just tender. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beans to a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and set the color. Return the water to a boil, and cook the wax beans and peas for about 5 minutes; transfer them to the ice-water bath. Repeat with the fava beans, cooking them for about 4 minutes; transfer to the ice water. Return the water to a boil, and cook the haricots verts about 4 minutes, until just tender; transfer to the ice-water bath. Drain the vegetables and pat dry with paper towels. Remove the outer skins from the fava beans.

Vinaigrette
In a small bowl, stir together the oil, lemon juice, and mustard, and season with salt and pepper.

To Assemble
Combine the beans, shallots, and vinaigrette in a bowl, and toss until the beans are coated with the dressing. Season to taste. Just before serving, toss with the mint.