Bean Salad

A plain composed salad of the sort that filled the salad chapters of American household books around 1900. It comes together in minutes, and the only real decisions are which beans and what kind of dressing.

• Which beansThe book does not say. "Cold cooked beans" in salads of this period could mean dried white beans — navy, marrow or pea beans — boiled until tender and drained, and cooked string beans were used the same way. Canned cannellini or navy beans, rinsed well, are a fair substitute for 2 cups.
• Tomato catsupMany catsups of the period, especially home-made ones, were thinner and more heavily spiced with clove and allspice than modern ketchup, and less sweet. If today's ketchup reads too sweet against the beans, cut it with a teaspoon of cider vinegar, or use a spiced tomato chutney.
• French dressingIn this era French dressing meant a plain vinaigrette — oil and vinegar, roughly two to three parts oil to one part vinegar, with salt and pepper — not the sweet orange bottled product sold under that name now. Whisk your own; about 1/4 cup dresses this quantity.
• The celeryThe recipe lists the cupful of celery with the garnish, along with the chives and capers, though a cupful is a substantial amount beside 2 cups of beans. Use the inner ribs, and slice or dice them small so they do not overwhelm the softer beans.
• Dress the beans earlyCooked beans absorb dressing slowly. Toss them with the catsup and a spoonful of the dressing and let them stand 20 to 30 minutes before assembling; the rest of the dressing goes over at the table so the lettuce does not wilt.
• Capers and chivesRinse brined capers before chopping, or the salt lands unevenly. Chives should be cut with a knife rather than crushed, and added at the last moment for colour.
• YieldEnough for four as a side salad, or two as a light lunch course.