Beans have a special place in Portuguese cuisine. On a trip to the Iberian nation, we noticed that every restaurant we visited had it on its menu in some form or shape. Upon our return, I decided to incorporate it in a salad. It was winter in Mumbai and there were great snow peas available in the market. Elements like bean puree and smoked almonds made it all come together.

  • Serves

    4

  • Cook Time

    00 h 30 m

Ingredients

For Honey Caper Vinaigrette

  • ¼ cup capers with brine
  • ¾ cup oil
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp mustard paste
  • 1 tbsp toddy vinegar
  • 1 tsp green chilli
  • 1 tsp garlic

For Bean Puree

  • ½ cup boiled lima beans
  • 3 tbsp oil
  • 2 tbsp onions
  • Salt

To Assemble

  • ½ cup boiled black-eyed peas
  • ½ cup snow peas, sliced
  • ¼ cup boiled white beans
  • ¼ cup boiled lima beans
  • 3-4 tbsp honey caper vinaigrette
  • 3 tbsp diced tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp chopped black olives
  • 2 tbsp roasted almonds flakes
  • 2 tbsp chopped mint
  • Salt to taste
  • Bean puree

Preparation

For Honey Caper Vinaigrette

  1. Blend all ingredients, emulsify and double strain.
  2. This keeps well in the refrigerator for 4-6 days.

For Bean Puree

  1. Mix boiled lima beans with raw onions and blend in a mixer until smooth.
  2. Add oil to emulsify.

To Serve

  1. In a bowl, toss the cooked beans, snow peas, tomatoes, olives and mint with the vinaigrette. Taste and season with salt, if necessary.
  2. Spoon the bean puree in the centre of the plate.
  3. Plate the dressed salad around the puree.
  4. Finish with the roasted almond flakes.
Written by

Hussain Shahzad

Hussain Shahzad, the Executive Chef at O Pedro, a Goa-inspired restaurant in Mumbai, is Scroll Food’s Chef of the Month for October. He started his career with the Oberoi Group of Hotels in Mumbai, before moving to New York, where he worked at the iconic Eleven Madison Park. His culinary adventures have taken him around the world and included a brief stint as a personal chef to Roger Federer. Before taking the reins at O Pedro, he was a part of the team at the award-winning The Bombay Canteen. A dynamic and bold chef, Hussain’s food philosophy is to showcase local produce using contemporary culinary techniques.

See more by Hussain Shahzad