Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Black bean salad

Dried black beans

1 can of rotel tomatoes

1 cup of frozen corn, thawed

1 onion, diced

1-2 TBSP of olive oil

½-1 TBSP of mirin (rice wine vinegar) or juice of a lime-if using a lime, zest it first and add that for extra flavor and nutrients.

1 tsp cumin or more

Salt and pepper

Taco seasoning and cilantro, optional

 

I like to cook my own dried beans rather than buy them canned.  It’s cheaper, fresher, and better for you.  Soak the beans overnight then drain and rinse them.  I season mine with garlic and onion powder as they cook and then add a little salt when they are almost soft.  I like mine to be pretty firm.  Drain off any remaining liquid.  The amount of “dressing” will depend on how the beans cook.  If you make the salad and it’s too dry after it’s been refrigerated, then you can add a little more olive oil.

 

Drain the rotel, saving the juice to make the dressing for the salad.  In a large serving bowl add the rotel, 2 rotel cans worth of cooked black beans (that’s how I measure it), corn, bell pepper, and onion.

 

Dressing:  Mix the rotel juice, olive oil, mirin (or lime juice with zest), cumin, salt, pepper, and a little bit of taco seasoning to taste.  We buy our taco seasoning in bulk container or make our own.  Stir the dressing, pour over bean salad, and mix.  Top with chopped cilantro and refrigerate for a few hours.  Before serving, toss the mixture to see if it’s moist enough.  This will depend heavily on how the beans were cooked.  If they are more soft and starchy then it will take more dressing.

 

I like to serve this as a side dish for taco night or a main dish on a bed of lettuce.

 

Now that you have all these black beans cooked, divide them into 2 rotel can sized portions and freeze them.  You can add them to chicken enchiladas or make a wonderful taco soup.

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