Black Bean Salad

Black Bean Salad has a southwestern flare, but this version can also add one ingredient to change into an Asian Dish. Since this is Chuck Wagon cooking, let's go to the Southwest style, but I promise to share how to convert it also into Asian, California or Vegan:

Black Bean Salad boasts a colorful miscellany of ingredients and tastes as appetizing as it looks. Golden kernels of corn contrast with earthy black beans, sweet red pepper and spicy cilantro. The rice vinegar, sesame oil and ginger root give it an Asian flare. This recipe is easy to double or triple, so don't worry about making more than enough, as it keeps well in the refrigerator for days.


Ingredients:

• 1 cup corn frozen or fresh niblet 
• 1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 celery rib, thinly sliced
• 1 small sweet red pepper, chopped
• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 Tbs. sesame oil
• 1 Tbs. rice vinegar
• 1 Tbs. lime juice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt 
• 1/4 tsp. minced fresh ginger root (note) if you desire to convert into an Asian Dish, make the helping of Ginger Root to be (1) full Tsp and add 1/2 tsp crushed mustard to the dish. 

Cook corn several minutes. Once cooked, transfer to a bowl; add beans, onion, celery, red pepper, cilantro and jalapeno. In a different bowl, stir the oil, vinegar, lime juice, garlic, ginger (mustard only for Asian dish) and salt. Pour the mixture over the bean mixture in the other bowl and toss it. Let it sit in the refrigerator for at least one hour before serving.

Some folks who like dishes really hot will often play with this dish adding more hot peppers to kick the heat up. However, this dish has a mild flavor and is exceptional towards anyone pallet. It can also use (1) tbs of Ginger Teriyaki  Big Acres Gourmet Foods  to substitute for fresh ginger root in Asian Cuisine.

You can also add (1) fresh cut avocado along with (1) large tomato diced and toss in the bowl to create a more of  a California Style Black Bean Salad, or include (1) fresh chopped zucchini and add with beans for more of a vegan dish. The combination of sauce with these other vegetables makes one superb flavored dish.

Serving can be as a side or dressed over a taco adding cheese. It is the easy one recipe that allows such an easy change without much effort. Remember, any of these methods makes for a super side dish to enhance your outdoor Barbecue or Cowboy cooking.
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