Hearty Three-Bean-and-Ham Salad

Name: Hearty Three-Bean-and-Ham Salad
Yield: serves 4 to 6
Ingredients: 1/2 cup olive oil; 1/3 cup red wine vinegar; 2 teaspoons sugar; Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste; 1 pound thick-cut ham steak (from your supermarket’s deli counter), cut into 1/2-inch pieces; One 15-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained; One 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained; One 15-ounce can cut green beans, rinsed and drained; 2 scallions (white and light green parts), chopped; 4 ounces pepper Jack cheese, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (optional); 1 head Bibb lettuce

December 9, 2011

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Photo by Chelsea Kyle

Growing up in the South, we were surrounded by three-bean salads, which are something of an aquired taste. We ate up Mama’s beans and ham hocks, but give us kids a cold bean salad and we’d be out the backdoor. Well, now we’ve seen the error of our ways—plus canned beans seem to be better these days, less mushy and more flavorful. Here we toss them with spicy cheese and leftover ham for a main-course salad that’s delicious served with cornbread.

Recipe notes

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