Salad Night

Our visit last night with my husband's cousin and his wife was fun!  They're very nice unpretentious people. The cousins hadn't seen each other since my husband was 9 years old! We grilled burgers and I made a few different kinds of salads -- it was too hot to use the oven.  After all that yesterday, I didn't do the shrimp. I'm saving it for this weekend. I looked around and had so much food, it made sense to wait.

My neighbor gave me a recipe for a great salad that I made.  Fortunately, the picky eaters on the other side of the family means there's plenty for us tonight!  I started to take photos of the process but got distracted, so here's the recipe anyway.  It's from a book called "Raising the Salad Bar."  Yummmmm

Mexican Sweet Potato and Black Bean Salad

Serves 6 to 8

4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾ inch chunks

2 Tbs canola oil

½ tsp ground coriander

½ tsp ground cumin

½ tsp chile powder

½ tsp kosher salt

2 cups frozen kernels of corn

2 cups cooked black beans, rinsed and drained (canned is fine)

3 or 4 scallions, thinly sliced on angle

½ cup chopped cilantro

DRESSING

1 chipotle chile

1 clove garlic, finely minced

2 Tbs Thai Sweet Chile Sauce

6 Tbs fresh lime juice

½ cup canola oil

1.       Preheat the oven to 375°.  In a large bowl, toss the sweet potato chunks with the oil to lightly coat them.  Sprinkle with coriander, cumin, Chile powder and salt and toss again.  Spread the potatoes in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until they are golden at the edges and just tender, about 20 to 25 minutes.   Meanwhile, in a large serving bowl, combine the corn and the black beans.

2.       To make the dressing, in a blender or food processor place the chipotle chile, garlic and sweet chile sauce.  Process until mixture is smooth.  Add the lime juice and process again.  With the machine running, slowly add the canola oil and process dressing until it is emulsified.

3.       When the sweet potatoes are done, let cool slightly and add them to the corn and beans.  Add scallions and cilantro; gently toss.   Pour enough dressing over the salad to just moisten the ingredients and toss again.   (You will have dressing left over)