Bean relish is a versatile vegetarian dish that can be used as a side, topping, filling, or salad. It can be made with a single type of bean or a blend for a diverse texture and flavor profile, along with diced vegetables and acidic liquids like vinegar or citrus. The dish can be enjoyed by vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike, and popular bean choices include black, red, and kidney beans. The relish can have a pickled taste due to the acidic liquid used, and gourmet cooks consider it a complex seasoning.
Beans are a vegetarian staple—a healthy way to pack on protein without all that meat weighing on the conscience. One creative use of legumes is in the taste of a bean, using a single type of bean or a blend for a more diverse texture and flavor profile. While recipes vary widely, this side dish, topping, filling, or salad typically includes diced vegetables such as onions, corn, peppers, and herbs, along with olive oil and other liquids that add some acidity, such as vinegar or abundant citrus juices.
Being a vegetarian isn’t a requirement to enjoy the taste of beans, though. This taste adds color, flavor and texture to many types of meals. Some use it to add a Latin twist to a seared chicken or fish fillet. Other cooks might pop it in a tortilla or eat it as-is with tortilla chips for a fresh, vibrant appetizer.
The types of legumes used in bean relish depend on the taste of the chef who produces it. Some stick with just one type. Others use different types to add color and texture. Because some beans take longer to cook than others, using a medley will take a while. Many cooks will avoid this obstacle by using canned beans that are already cooked.
Among the more popular bean choices are black, red, and kidney beans. This does not mean that other types would not be acceptable. Many recipes call for chickpeas, pinto beans, garbanzo beans, and even the giant white kidney beans. The more beans used, the more colorful a bean will taste.
The bean taste typically has a pickled taste due to some sort of acidic liquid such as vinegar or citrus. For example, celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse’s Black Bean relish blends black beans and various greens like corn, peppers, onions, garlic, and cherry tomatoes with the juice of eight limes. In contrast, chef Guy Fieri uses four types of beans – white, pinto, black and chickpeas – with similar diced vegetables but a liquid made up of extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar and red wine vinegar.
Perhaps the most iconic type of condiment is made with pickles and used primarily on hot dogs. Gourmet cooks would think otherwise. For them, a taste is considered a complex seasoning. This could be a chutney, a pickled vegetable medley known as piccalilli, or a historic American condiment called chow-chow, which is pickled vegetables bathed in bold mustard.
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