GIGANTE BEAN SALAD
WITH OVEN DRIED TOMATOES, BLACK OLIVES,
AND PESTO

Nestled in the sand on the Santa Monica coast in California, Shutters On The Beach is a favorite luxury seaside resort, serving up fresh and delicious food with style year-round. In The Summertime Anytime Cookbook, Dana Slatkin shares 130 irresistible recipes from her family's celebrated hotel for any day or night at the beach, including this delicious salad.

Gigante beans, are those giant white beans that you may have eaten once on a trip to France, Greece, or the United Kingdom. An American substitute would be Butter Beans.  Meaty and flavorful, these jumbo-sized lima beans will delight your guests. Toss them with oven-dried tomatoes, a perky black olive dressing, and basil pesto for a multilayered first course that’s sure to please.

Additional Recipes on the Shutters Website

Bean Salad

• 3 loosely packed cups frisée leaves or watercress sprigs

• 2 (15-ounce) cans gigante beans, butter beans, or other giant white beans, rinsed and drained

• 11⁄2 cups Oven-Dried Tomatoes

• Black Olive Dressing (recipe follows)

• 1⁄2 cup basil pesto

• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Arrange the frisée in the middle of a serving bowl or 6 plates. Top with the beans and tomatoes. Drizzle the black olive dressing over the salad along with a little basil pesto. Finally, drizzle the balsamic vinegar around, season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

Black Olive Dressing

• 1⁄2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 3 tablespoons seeded and diced tomato

• 3 tablespoons finely diced black olives, such as niçoise or kalamata

• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, tomato, olives, and lemon zest and season with salt and pepper. Set aside to marinate for at least 2 hours or refrigerate, covered, for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.  Serves Six as a first course.