Warm Black Bean Salad With Limey Mojito Dressing

Here's lovely Warm Black Bean Salad With Limey Mojito Dressing with a Southwest flair; a delicious and filling meal in a bowl! Rich in phytonutrients of anthocyanins, antioxidants, black beans, vegetables, and the herbs provide a vitamin, mineral, and fiber rich fare. We love piling the salad into warm tortillas or Romaine leaves taco style or scooping it with chips. 

NOTES:

Instead of romaine, other greens or baby lettuce and herb mixtures maybe used.

This is an oil-free salad; if you wish you may add a little Extra Virgin Olive Oil to the dressing and for cooking the onion-chile mixture.

4 Servings

INGREDIENTS:

Dressing:

1 small clove Garlic, minced
2 Tbsp fresh Cilantro, chopped

Pinch of Salt

1-2 Limes, juiced (about 3 tablespoons)

1/2 tsp Kosher Salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground Cumin

1/4 teaspoon Chili powder (the spice mix)

2-3 Tsp Maple Syrup

Salad:

1-2 Jalapeno or Serrano Chiles, deseeded, and minced

2 large Shallots OR 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
2 cups freshly cooked Black Beans OR 1 (15-ounce) can, drained and rinsed

1 cup corn kernels, fresh from about 2 ears OR frozen

1 Red, Yellow or Orange bell pepper, diced

2 Carrots, diced small

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered

1 small hass avocado, halved, seeded and diced

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, leaves and stems

1/2 head Romaine Lettuce, cut into a fine chiffonade, about 3 cups

Optional ingredients for serving:
Warm Corn Tortillas
Whole Romaine Leaves
Tortilla Chips

Hot Sauce

METHOD:

Make the dressing: 

Smash the garlic clove and chopped cilantro with a pinch of the salt using a mortar and pestle OR with the flat side of a large knife, into a coarse paste. Whisk the garlic paste, lime juice, salt, cumin, and chili powder together in a small jar or bowl. Whisk in the maple syrup. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Set aside. If made ahead, cover and reserve in the fridge.

Make the salad: 

Heat the chiles and onions with a pinch of salt in a skillet or pan; cook stirring over low-medium heat until onions are softened  and begin to color a bit.

Tip in the black beans, corn, bell pepper, and the carrots. Add half the dressing and toss to coat evenly.

Remove from the heat when the bean mixture is just warm and gently fold in the tomatoes and half the cilantro. Adjust seasoning with lime juice, salt and pepper.

Reserve about 2-3 tsp of the dressing to drizzle on top of the salad before serving.

Add the rest of the dressing to the lettuce and the remaining cilantro; divide among 4 plates.

Pile the bean mixture on top of the lettuce.

Place the avocado on top, drizzle with the reserved dressing.

Serve immediately with the warm tortillas, romaine, or chips. Pass the hot sauce.

Enjoy!!