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To celebrate the start of the Jewish New Year 5760 we attended a vegetarian potluck to which the hosts asked us to bring symbolically significant foods.
It may be hard to believe that a dish as simple as this could be packed with almost as much symbolism as flavor. Various Jewish communities around the world have considered green foods (such as green beans and dill in this dish) to signify renewal, and white foods (such as the navy beans and garlic cloves) to symbolize personal cleansing and moral purity. Gold foods, like lemons or olive oil in this case, symbolize a year of prosperity, and seeds, such as our beans again, represent fertility, fecundity, and the multiplication of good deeds.
Dressing
(modified from American Vegetarian Cookbook)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 Tablespoons minced fresh dill
4 medium cloves garlic, pressed
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, or to taste
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients for dressing together and set aside.
Salad
1 1/2 lbs. fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 15-oz. cans white navy beans
Steam the fresh green bean pieces until just tender. When finished, rinse under cold water and drain. Drain and rinse the beans.
Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl, pour the dressing over them and toss together. Let sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour or so before serving. This makes a potluck-sized amount; halve the recipe for a smaller gathering.
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