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Roasted Corn and Black Bean Salad

Roasted Corn and Black Bean Salad with Arugula and Cherry Tomatoes

Back when I first started blogging in 2009-10, I came across a recipe for a grilled corn and bean salad. Brian Boitano (yes, the ice skater) was hosting a show on the Food Network called "What would Brian Boitano Make? and was making this amazing grilled corn and black bean salad. Jeff and I served the recipe to some friends at a cookout that summer but for some reason I never had a picture of the dish.

Fast forward to April 2013 and I am going through my old food posts and found the recipe for the grilled corn and bean salad in a draft. The recipe was there but had no storyline or photo. I looked over the recipe and thought that as soon as I could get some fresh corn this dish would be on the menu. As I entered the grocery store on Sunday there was a display with the season's first corn on the cob. The cobs were small but I figured I would give it another test run. Summer and cooking on the grill with lots of fresh vegetables from the garden are right around the corner.

On Wednesday night when I decided to make the dish, it was a little chilly outside and I was being lazy, not wanting to walk out to light the grill. I went on-line and searched "roasting corn on the cob" and found an easier way to create the dish. By roasting the corn in the oven it gave me the opportunity to get everything ready without leaving the kitchen. You can bet that I will be grilling the corn especially when our local produce becomes available in late July, but for tonight, roasting was perfect.

I switched the recipe up a little because...isn't that what we do as foodies? Try and mix it up a bit? So as the corn was roasting I was able to get all of the ingredients ready adding more lime and a bit of lime zest (and a bit less corn). Once the corn was cool enough to handle, I removed the kernels and this dish was ready to go. We served our salad on a bed of arugula with some chopped cherry tomatoes, but that wasn't before I was taste testing the results with lime tortilla chips.

What a perfect dish, the sweetness of the roasted corn with black beans, a little bit of heat and a great lime flavor. The pepper flavor of the arugula was a wonderful complement to the salad, it didn't need a dressing. And as for the chip and dip situation, it was perfect as an appetizer, too!

As we begin to enjoy more items from the garden, fresh salsas, salads and dishes will be on the menu. Start testing some recipes so you'll be ready for backyard cook-outs and  gatherings, and definitely add this Roasted (or grilled) Corn and Black Bean Salad to the list.

Roasted Corn and Black Bean Salad as a salsa served with Tortilla Chips 

Roasted Corn and Black Bean Salad (Adapted from Brian Boitano's Grilled Corn and Bean Salad)

Ingredients:

Corn Marinade:
1/4 cup of canola oil
2 teaspoons of ground cumin
2 teaspoons of chili powder

Salad Dressing:
1/4 cup of canola oil
1 teaspoon of chili powder
1 lime, juiced
zest of 1 lime
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup of chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Corn and Bean Salad:
4 ears corn, shucked
1 red bell pepper, cored and diced into 1 inch pieces
1 medium red onion, diced into 1 inch pieces
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

Additional lime juice, salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

12 cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters
1 - 8 ounce bag or fresh arugula

1 bag of lime tortilla chips (if you want to use this as a salsa)

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
1. Marinade: In a small bowl, add 1/4 cup of the canola oil, cumin and chili powder, and season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Stir to combine.
2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and brush each ear of corn liberally with the seasoned oil. Cook for about 12 minutes, giving each ear a quarter turn every 3 minutes.
3. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. When cool enough to handle cut kernels from corn.
NOTE: You can cook the corn on a grill also. Place corn directly on the grill over medium heat and turn corn according to the directions above.
4. Salad Dressing: whisk together the 1/4 cup of canola oil, 1 teaspoon chili powder, the lime juice and zest, garlic, and cilantro. Put aside.
5. In a large bowl, place corn, beans, onions, and peppers. Mix with the salad dressing and allow the dressing to coat the mix.
6. Adjust taste with salt, pepper and additional lime juice. We found that it needed more lime juice for balance.
7. Serve with tortilla chips or as a salad on a bed of arugula with chopped cherry tomatoes.

Pineapple Peach Mango Salsa

Summer is here (in New England) and we love all the fresh fruit that is available around this time of year. There are so many more choices for salads, desserts and salsas. A few years ago we came upon some fruit salsa recipes, but once you get the basic recipe down, it's easy to create your own.

I knew we were grilling scallops for dinner and I wanted something refreshing to go with it. I arrived at the grocery store to pick up a few last minute items and peaches were on sale. They were next to the kiwi and before I knew it, I had a pineapple, mango, peaches and kiwi in my cart. A red bell pepper, purple onion and a bunch of cilantro and I was ready to go.

When creating a fruit salsa, it's a combination of fruits and vegetables. There is normally a pepper and onion added to balance the sweetness and acidity of the fruit. I use a red bell pepper, since it is sweeter (plus, I like the color) and a red onion because I like the raw flavor over the white and yellow onions. I also try to put a citrus fruit in the recipe to help preserve the salsa.

Here is my Pineapple Peach Mango Salsa

1 pineapple, peeled, cored and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces

1 mango, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces

3 kiwi, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces

2 peaches, pitted and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces

1 red bell pepper, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces

1/4 of a large red onion, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces

1/4 cup of olive oil

Rind from 1/2 of lime

The juice of 2 limes

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

A pinch of salt...to taste

Mix all ingredients together and let them chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This helps the flavors to meld together.

Here are a few things you can use the Pineapple Peach Mango Salsa with:

1. Tortilla Chips - Better than regular salsa, especially when it is warm outside, this is very refreshing. It complemented our Zen Sangria. My sister, Karen, joined us and with every chip she dipped she would say, "This is amazing!"

2. Jasmine Rice - We make the rice plain and then add a few heaping tablespoons at the end to give the rice some subtle fruit flavor.

3. Side Dish - Use with seafood and chicken dishes. The night we made this salsa, we grilled scallops.

4. Quinoa - Cook the quinoa according to directions and then add to the dish, similar to the rice.

It's fun to be creative with fruit salsas...what is your favorite? And how do you like to serve it?

We would love to hear from you!

Strawberry Summer Salsa with Tequila Lime Chicken

 

Part 2 of our Saturday "Pick Your Own" Strawberries at C.N. Smith Farm.

After picking 10 pounds of strawberries and starting the evening with a Strawberry Limonada, it was time to get serious on adding strawberries to our dinner menu. I decided to work the strawberries in as a condiment to the grilled chicken we would be serving. This past year, we have taken advantage of a few great summer salsas that contain a combination of tasty fruits, peppers, red onions and a flavorful dressings that complement the ingredients.

I found a strawberry summer salsa which they suggested be served with grilled chicken. It comes from a little recipe book called  "The Best 50 Salsas" by Christie and Thomas Katona. We have found some great quick salsa recipes whether combining fruits, vegetables or both!

We are having people over tomorrow and I am already eyeing a peach salsa to use with our Killer Guacamole.

I found an easy Tequila-Lime Marinade, which was to be used on flank steak, butfigured it would be fine for chicken. The marinade came together in 5 minutes and since the tequila was out we might as well use it. I found the recipe on the Food & Wine website as Tequila-Lime Marinated Flank Steak. I've still got my eye on using it the next time we serve steak.

The chicken was delicious and the strawberry salsa was amazing as a dressing. We ended up serving it with white jasmine rice which was perfect. We kept dipping our chicken and rice in the fruity salsa. It was light and perfect for a warm Saturday evening dinner with our fresh, locally picked strawberries and some homegrown mint and cilantro.

This is nice as a side dish for chicken or white fish. Get out there while you can still pick your own strawberries, at least in New England, and enjoy the taste of locally grown produce! 

Strawberry Summer Salsa 

Ingredients:

2 cups of diced strawberries
1/2 cup of chopped red onion
1/2 cup of chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 japeleno chile, finely chopped
1/4 cup of finely chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients. Cover and chill.

Tequila Lime Marinade

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons Spanish olive oil
3 tablespoons tequila
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 dashes Tabasco sauce
4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 small Spanish onion, coarsely chopped
2 pounds of boneless chicken breast, sliced thinly, approximately eight pieces.

Preparation:

In a large bowl or 1 gallon resealable bag, combine the ingredients.
Add the chicken and toss to coat completely with the marinade.
Cover (or seal) and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours or more.

Grill chicken to desired wellness. We usually go 3-4 minutes each side, depending on the heat intensity of the grill.

Serve chicken with salsa on the top or side. White jasmine rice is a great side dish for this meal.