Italian White Bean Salad - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 lb dried white beans, Note 1 or 1 lb dried borlotti beans, washed, picked over and soaked overnight or for at least 6 hours
1 large white onions or 1 large yellow onion, Chopped
3 garlic cloves, Rough Chopped
6 cups water
1 bay leaf
salt
2 garlic cloves, Minced
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 medium red onion, Thin Slice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 red bell pepper, Cut In 1
1/4 cup fresh basil, Chopped or 1/4 cup parsley, Chopped, Chopped
1 teaspoon fresh sage, Chopped
black pepper, Freshly Ground

Preparation

Note 1: OR borlotti beans, washed, picked over and soaked overnight or for at least 6 hours Serve this delicious salad warm in the winter or chilled in the summer.
It makes a wonderful main dish.
Drain the beans and combine with the white or yellow onion, the chopped garlic, the water and the bay leaf in a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hours.
Add salt to taste and half the minced garlic, cover and cook 30 min to an hour, or until tender.
Drain, reserving the cooking liquid.
Meanwhile, combine 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar and 1 C water in a bowl; add the red onion.
Add more water to cover if necessary and soak 30 minute.
Drain.
Mix together the lemon juice, vinegars, remaining garlic; mustard and 3/4 C cooking liquid from the beans.
Add salt and pepper to taste and adjust the seasonings.
Toss with the beans in a salad bowl, along with the red onion, bell pepper, herbs, pepper and more salt to taste. Serve warm or chilled.