Beans take well to salad dressings, herbs, peppers, onions, and garlic, but be sure to warm the beans before dressing them so they will absorb these added flavors.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 6 to 8 servings

　　3 cups of warm home-cooked beans, or canned beans such as cannellini

　　3 Tbs finely minced onions or scallions

　　1 large clove of garlic, puréed and then mashed with 1/4 teaspoon salt

　　2 Tbs or so good olive oil or salad oil

　　Herbs, such as fresh or dried thyme, oregano, and sage

　　Salt and freshly ground pepper

　　Additional elements, such as one or a combination of: strips of red or green bell pepper or pimiento; hard-boiled eggs; rounds of red onion; sardines, tuna, and/or salami; spinach leaves or salad greens

　　

Step 1

Flavoring the beans. Toss the warm beans in a big bowl with the onions or scallions, garlic, several tablespoons of oil, herbs, salt, and pepper to taste. Let stand 30 minutes, tossing several times, and correcting the seasoning.

　　

Step 2

Serving. Build an elaborate composition with eggs, sardines, and so forth, or use a simple decoration of spinach leaves, strips of red pepper or pimiento, and onion rings.

　　Reprinted with permission from The Way to Cook by Julia Child. © 1993 Knopf