I first made this salad when we were going to a pot luck and I'd waited til the last minute...the very last minute, one minute shy of "Just pick up something from the deli on the way." To make it my way requires access to a Trader Joe's, which is where I got each of the...elements. I hesitate to call them ingredients, and I hesitate to call this a recipe. It's much too easy.
You need:
A large can of black beans, rinsed and drained
A bag of frozen roasted corn, thawed under hot water (if you aren't trying to make this in under five minutes, thaw it ahead of time. And yes, roasted makes a difference. Man, that's good corn.)
A big tub of the mild salsa, the one with the diced fresh tomato, drained of most of the liquid (I think it's "party size," and it's the one sold in the refrigerated section.)
Roasted red pepper salad dressing (Come to think of it: this did not come from Trader Joe's. The one I use is Seeds of Change)
Mix all the beans, corn, salsa, and a bit of the dressing together in a big bowl.
I was honestly amazed by how many compliments I got on this salad the first time I made it, so of course it is now my go-to salad for potlucks. It's also versatile:
With chips, it is a hearty salsa.
For vegetarians, it can be a main dish (corn and beans, complete protein).
For lunch, wrap it in a tortilla.
For breakfast, use it as an omelette filling.
When you're sick of eating it (it does make a rather large batch), it makes a good rat treat.
Posted by Nic at June 30, 2006 09:49 AM | TrackBack