White Bean Salad with Valencia Oranges & Celery

I made this recipe yesterday for a cookbook club dinner. Everyone in the group selected a salad from America's Test Kitchen the complete SALAD cookbook.

Serves 6
 
Ingredients
 
1/3 cup Olive oil, extra virgin
4 Garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
Table salt for steeping beans
3 (15-ounce) cans Cannellini beans or small white beans, rinsed
1/4 cup Sherry vinegar
1 Shallot
2 Valencia or navel oranges
3/4 cup thinly sliced celery
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
 
Directions
 
Heat 1 T oil and garlic in medium saucepan over medium-high heat until just beginning to brown, about 2 minutes.
 
Add 2 cups water and 1 t salt and bring to a simmer. Off heat, add beans, cover, and let sit for 20 minutes.
 
Combine vinegar and shallot in large bowl and let sit for 20 minutes.
 
Cut away peel and pith from oranges. Holding fruit over bowl, use a paring knife to slice between membranes to release segments.
 
Drain beans and discard garlic. Add beans, oranges, celery, parsley, and remaining oil to shallot mixture and toss until thoroughly combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let sit until flavors meld, about 20 minutes. Serve.
 
My Notes:
 
I chopped up some of the cooked garlic into the salad.
 
This tastes even better the next day.
 
Next time I will use cilantro. Also, the 1/2 cup of parsley overwhelmed the salad.
 
Cutting between the orange segments was quite messy. I used naval oranges.