Yellow and Cannellini Bean Salad

This recipe comes from Food and Wine as usual. It's a great summer recipe. 

The last time I made this I substituted some items - garbanzos for cannellini beans, green beans for the yellow wax beans, and I added 1 cucumber, peeled and sliced into long thin spears. Using canned beans speeds up the process, but I do think you lose a little of the depth of flavor that simmering the dried beans adds. Either way, it's a nice, fresh and very light salad.

2 cups dried cannellini beans (12 ounces), soaked overnight and drained or 1 15 oz can.

1 small yellow onion, peeled and halved

1 small carrot

1 small celery rib

1 pound yellow wax beans

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

8 large radishes, sliced 1/4 inch thick

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

1/3 cup small basil leaves or chopped basil

In a large saucepan, cover the drained cannellini beans with 2 inches of water.

Add the yellow onion, carrot and celery and bring to a boil.

Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the cannellinis are tender, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Drain the cannellinis and discard the onion, carrot and celery.

Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil.

Fill a large bowl with ice water.

Add the wax beans to the saucepan and cook until just tender, 3 minutes. Drain the beans and chill them quickly in the ice water. Drain and pat dry.

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil with the vinegar and lemon juice and season with salt and black pepper.

In a large bowl, toss the cannellini beans with the wax beans, radishes, red onion and basil. Add the vinaigrette and toss to coat. Season with salt and black pepper and serve right away.