Tuscan White Bean Salad with Spinach, Olives, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Preparation 1. To quick-soak the beans: Place the beans in a large pot with water to cover by 3 inches and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 45 minutes. Remove from the heat, drain, and rinse. 2. To cook the beans: Place the beans in a large pot and add enough water to cover by 3 to 4 inches. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer, uncovered, 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until beans are tender but still firm. Drain and rinse the beans thoroughly. Set aside to cool. 3. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook and stir until slightly brown, about 5 minutes. 4. Toss the beans, onion, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, mozzarella, and olives in a large bowl with the vinaigrette until just combined. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use or up to 1 day. If refrigerating, add the spinach just before serving. Excerpted from The Foster's Market Cookbook by Sara Foster with Sarah Belk King Photographs by James Baigrie Copyright (c) 2002 by Sara Foster with Sarah Belk King Photographs by James Baigrie. Excerpted by permission of Random House, a division of Random House. Sara Foster is the founder and owner of Foster's Markets, two café takeout shops in Durham and Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She has worked as a chef for Martha Stewart's catering company, as well as for several well-known New York chefs and caterers. Sara has been featured in Martha Stewart Living, House Beautiful, Country Home, and Southern Living and appears regularly on Martha Stewart Living Television. She lives on a farm outside of Durham with her husband, Peter Sellers. Sarah Belk King is a contributing editor for Bon Appétit magazine and a freelance writer. Her articles have appeared in Wine Spectator, Country Home, House Beautiful, Diversions, The New York Times Magazine, and other national publications. She is the author of Around the Southern Table and The Hungry Traveler: France.

Preparation 1. To quick-soak the beans: Place the beans in a large pot with water to cover by 3 inches and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 45 minutes. Remove from the heat, drain, and rinse. 2. To cook the beans: Place the beans in a large pot and add enough water to cover by 3 to 4 inches. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer, uncovered, 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until beans are tender but still firm. Drain and rinse the beans thoroughly. Set aside to cool. 3. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook and stir until slightly brown, about 5 minutes. 4. Toss the beans, onion, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, mozzarella, and olives in a large bowl with the vinaigrette until just combined. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use or up to 1 day. If refrigerating, add the spinach just before serving. Excerpted from The Foster's Market Cookbook by Sara Foster with Sarah Belk King Photographs by James Baigrie Copyright (c) 2002 by Sara Foster with Sarah Belk King Photographs by James Baigrie. Excerpted by permission of Random House, a division of Random House. Sara Foster is the founder and owner of Foster's Markets, two café takeout shops in Durham and Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She has worked as a chef for Martha Stewart's catering company, as well as for several well-known New York chefs and caterers. Sara has been featured in Martha Stewart Living, House Beautiful, Country Home, and Southern Living and appears regularly on Martha Stewart Living Television. She lives on a farm outside of Durham with her husband, Peter Sellers. Sarah Belk King is a contributing editor for Bon Appétit magazine and a freelance writer. Her articles have appeared in Wine Spectator, Country Home, House Beautiful, Diversions, The New York Times Magazine, and other national publications. She is the author of Around the Southern Table and The Hungry Traveler: France.