April 14, 2015
A colorful dish is not only beautiful, but typically is also very good for you. Eating a “rainbow” of colors – which normally means a variety of fruits or vegetables is always a good goal for daily eating. This Corn and Bean salad with cumin vinaigrette is just that. I have been making a variation of this salad for many years. It is another dish in which you can easily make substitutions. The original recipe hails from a perennial favorite cookbook, The New Basics Cookbook (Rosso & Lukins, c 1989). On Sunday I made this along with guacamole and used both to top simple cheese quesadillas for dinner.

ready to top quesadillas.

The original recipe was called black and white bean salad. I typically use a can of black beans and defrosted frozen corn for the base of this salad. On sunday I did not have black beans so I used pinto beans which were delicious. I am a lazy from scratch cook when it comes to beans. I know that cooking dried beans is better for you as there is typically a lot of salt and preservatives added to canned beans. But, I always rinse the beans and they are a wonderful convenience food for me. If you choose to cook dried beans, be sure to do a day ahead as the cooking time does tend to vary quite a bit. It is best to have them chilled ahead. Pre-cooked beans can easily be frozen too.

The color comes from chopped red pepper, jalapeno, onions and cilantro. Each brings a nice visual contrast and great flavor to the salad. Last, the vinaigrette dressing is bold and luscious. It gives a vibrant flavor to the entire salad. The ground cumin adds just the right touch of seasoning to enhance the garlic. The recipe makes more than enough salad dressing for this salad. You can either add more chopped ingredients and beans – or use the dressing for a marinade or for another salad. It keeps well in the refrigerator.

dry ingredients for vinaigrette

finished cumin vinaigrette

Corn and Bean Salad with Cumin Vinaigrette

Ingredients

1 14 oz can black, pinto or other cooked bean of choice, rinsed and drained well (about 2 cups)
2 cups frozen corn, defrosted and liquid drained
1/2 cup chopped red onion (or green onion works well too)
1 small jalapeño, ribs and seeds removed, chopped
1 cup chopped red pepper
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. dijon mustard
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions

Combine beans, corn, onion, jalapeno, red pepper and cilantro in a bowl.

In a separate jar, combine all vinaigrette ingredients and shake well to emulsify. Add about half of the dressing to the salad and stir well to coat. You can add additional dressing if desired. Chill or serve immediately.

preparation time approximately 15 minutes.

Serves 4 as a main dish – or more as a side or appetizer