Recipes by Inger Stevens: Bean Salad; Greek Bread

Inger Stevens' Bean Salad

1 pound string beans
Boiling salted water
2 cups canned kidney beans, drained
1 cup diced celery
1/2 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 cup vegetable oil (half safflower oil, half olive oil)
3 tbsps. red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tbsps. fresh dill
2 tbsps. fresh parsley
1 small red onion, cut in thin rings

1. Cook string beans in boiling salted water until barely tender. Drain, cut in 2 or 3-inch pieces. Place cut cooked string beans in large salad bowl with kidney beans and celery.

2. Prepare marinade by mixing together crushed garlic, vegetable oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in small screw-top jar. Cover, shake well.

3. Pour marinade over vegetables in salad bowl. Toss lightly adding fresh herbs. Cover bowl tightly. Refrigerate overnight (or at least 6 hours). Garnish with red onion rings. Serve as relish or side dish for meat dish or as a salad garnishing with crisp iceberg lettuce. Serves 4-6.

Inger Stevens' Greek Bread

3 envelopes dry yeast
2 1/2 cups water
2 1/2 tsps. salt
2 tbsps. sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil (or melted shortening cooled to room temperature) About 7 cups flour
Sesame seeds
Few tbsps. milk

1. Soften yeast in 1/2 cup lukewarm water. Put salt and sugar in a large mixing bowl with 2 cups hot water. Stir to dissolve salt and sugar; cool to room temperature. Add vegetable oil and softened yeast; mix well.

2. Add about 7 cups flour (or enough flour so dough forms a solid mass in mixing bowl). Turn out on a lightly floured board. Knead vigorously about 10 minutes (or until dough is smooth, stretchy and gas bubbles form when dough is spanked with the back of the hand).

3. Place dough in lightly greased bowl and cover. Let rise in a warm place until double in bulk (about 1 1/2 hours). Punch down, let rise again until double in bulk.

4. Turn out on lightly floured board, shaping dough into two round loaves. Place in lightly greased round 8-inch by 4-inch deep bread pans (or place on greased baking sheets). Brush tops lightly with milk; cover with sesame seeds.

5. Bake in preheated 400 degrees F. oven about 1 hour (or until golden and bread gives a hollow sound when thumped with the fingers). Place on cake racks to cool.

Thoughts: The same dough can  be made into Kouloura (ring-shaped bread). Place dough in ring pans; when dough is half risen in pans, cut 1/4-inch slits across top of dough. Garnish with sesame seeds as desired. Bake as directed above.