Black Bean and Corn Salad

Hello there, faithful readers (if there are any of you left)! I've been offline for a while, at least as far as The EmT Plate goes, but that doesn't mean that I have abandoned the kitchen. I'll try to catch up with some recent recipes over the next few days...starting with today's contribution.

With summer in full swing here in DC, I've been making a variation on the following salad almost every week to serve at potlucks, pack in lunches, and complement dinners. The base for this salad (black beans + corn + cilantro lime dressing) can be mixed and matched with celery, bell peppers, green onions, red onions, chickpeas, red beans, green beans, or whatever else you have handy. And if there are things on that list that you don't like, just don't include them in your salad - it will still be great. Also, the amount of dressing to make will depend on how big a salad you make and how much dressing you like in the salad - if you are using all of the ingredients for the salad, make more dressing.

A couple of weeks ago I found a package of red sweet corn at the grocery store. When cooked, the kernels fade a bit on the outside, but they are still a beautiful scarlet once you cut them from the cob and thus make a colorful addition to this salad. If you are using fresh corn, boil it for about 5 minutes in lightly salted water, then let it cool before cutting off the kernels. If you are in a hurry, you can run the corn under cool water to speed the cooling process.

Black Bean and Corn Salad (a good size for a picnic or a few days worth of lunches)

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

2 T. fresh cilantro, chopped OR 1 T. dried cilantro

1-2 T. lime juice

1-2 T. white balsamic vinegar or white wine vinegar

1-2 T. olive oil

1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed thoroughly

2 ears sweet corn, cooked and removed from cob OR 1 can (15 oz.) corn, drained and rinsed thoroughly

5-7 green onions (use the white bulb + some of the green stalk), sliced thinly OR 1 small red onion, diced

5-7 stalks celery, diced

1-2 bell peppers (red, yellow, orange, or green), diced

Optional: 1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas, red beans, or green beans

1. Combine garlic, cilantro, lime juice, vinegar, and olive oil in a small bowl and allow to sit while preparing ingredients for remainder of salad (15-30 minutes).

2. Combine beans (black + any optional ingredients), corn, onion, celery, and bell pepper in a large bowl.

3. Pour dressing over salad and stir thoroughly. Ideally, allow salad to sit for at least half an hour before serving to allow flavors to meld.

Vegetarian Black Bean Soup

Black bean soup is one of my favorite meals - especially with some crusty bread on the side. If you use dried beans for this recipe, make sure that you leave plenty of time for soaking (at least 8 hours, or overnight) and simmering (about 2 hours) before you plan to serve the soup. Leftovers can be divided into single or multiple serving portions and refrigerated or frozen for later use (e.g., lunches or dinners for the week ahead).

Black Bean Soup (~ 10 - 12 servings)
1 lb. dried black beans [or 4 14 oz. cans black beans]
1 T. olive oil
4-5 carrots, diced (~ 2 cups)*
4-5 ribs celery, diced (~ 2 cups)*
2 medium onions, diced (~ 2 cups)*
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground thyme
1 tsp. dried oregano or Italian seasoning
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. ground black pepper
8 cups liquid (I used 4 cups vegetable stock + 4 cups water)
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
2 T. lime juice
grated parmesan or cheddar cheese, scallions, sour cream, diced tomatoes, or other garnish
*If your grocery store carries prepared mirepoix (diced onion, celery, and carrot) in the produce section, you can use this to substitute for the individual vegetables [~ 5-6 cups is needed, approximately 24 oz.].

1. If using dried beans, sort and wash beans in cold water. Soak beans in 6 cups of water for 8-12 hours, or overnight. Drain and discard soaking liquid.

2. In a large stockpot, warm oil over medium-high heat. Saute carrots, celery, onion, and garlic for 1 minute, then cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.

3. Stir in cumin, thyme, oregano, bay leaf, and pepper and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Add beans, liquid, and tomato paste. Increase heat and bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 2 hours, until beans are soft. (You may want to cover soup for the first hour or so, then remove the cover to allow soup to thicken while it simmers.)

5. Remove soup from heat and stir in lime juice. Serve with desired garnish(es).