One of the things I enjoyed most on my first visits to France were the cold rice and bean salads. They seemed so simple, and the only rice and beans I had eaten at home were hot and served in soups or casseroles, or under some creamed meat. Here is a typical French-style cold white bean salad.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 6 to 8

　　2 cups dried small white beans

　　6 cups water

　　1/4 cup white wine vinegar

　　1/2 cup olive oil

　　2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

　　2 cloves garlic, pressed

　　4 green onions, green part only, very thinly sliced

　　1 cup Mediterranean-style olives, pitted and halved

　　Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

　　6 to 8 large lettuce leaves

　　2 small tomatoes, cut into wedges, for garnish

　　

Step 1

Thoroughly rinse the beans and place them and the water in the slow cooker insert. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or until the beans are tender. Quickly and gently pour them into a colander and drain them. (You can reserve the cooking water and use it to thicken soups or stews.) Transfer the beans to a serving bowl.

　　

Step 2

In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, oil, mustard, and garlic. Blend thoroughly with a whisk or an immersion blender.

　　

Step 3

Pour the dressing over the beans and mix thoroughly. Add the green onions, olives, and salt and pepper to taste, and toss by hand (or if you must, using spoons).

　　

Step 4

Serve either chilled or at room temperature on lettuce leaves and garnish with the tomato wedges.

　　

Nutrition Per Serving

Per serving: 480.0 calories

　　230.0 calories from fat

　　25.0g total fat

　　5.0g saturated fat

　　15.0mg cholesterol

　　670.0mg sodium

　　45.0g total carbs

　　10.0g dietary fiber

　　1.0g sugars

　　21.0g protein

　　#### Nutritional analysis provided by [TasteBook

　　using the USDA Nutrition Database]( )

　　[The Gourmet Vegetarian Slow Cooker](http://astore.amazon.com/epistore-20/detail/158008074X) by Lynn Alley. Copyright © 2010 Lynn Alley. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.Lynn Alley is a freelance food and wine journalist interested in traditional foods and techniques from around the world. The author of Lost Arts, she has contributed articles to Fine Cooking, Cook's Illustrated, the San Francisco Chronicle, and _Appellation_magazine. She frequently writes for Wine Spectator and its Web site. Alley has also taught classes at cooking schools around the United States. She resides in San Diego, California.