Charred Corn and Black Bean Salad

This simple, fresh-tasting salad is a great side dish to a variety of foods. However, it is also great as a stand-alone meal being suitable for vegans and those with gluten intolerance. With the variety of colours contained in the salad, you are assured of receiving a myriad of health-benefiting nutrients. It looks great and tastes even better. Do try it.

Course Appetiser, Salad, Side Dish, Starter

Cuisine North American

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 15

Total Time 45

Servings people

Calories 305kcal

Author Alexandra Cook - It's Not Complicated Recipes

Ingredients

2 large cobs of corn
1 tablespoon olive oil
420 g black beans I used a can - rinse and drain beans
1 large avocado peeled, stone removed and cubed
1 medium red onion peeled and diced
1 red capsicum/bell pepper core removed and diced
½ cup fresh coriander/cilantro chopped, stems included - set aside a few leaves for garnish

Dressing:

¼ cup olive oil extra virgin
2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice *
1 teaspoon maple syrup *
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Remove and discard the husk from each corn cob. Thoroughly remove the silk. Brush or spray the cobs with olive oil.
Grill the cobs of corn, either on a char-grill pan, under a broiler or on a barbecue until the edges of the kernels are slightly charred, about 10-15 minutes.
Remove the corn from the grill and set aside until cool.
Remove the kernels from the cobs. I find the easiest way is to place a small bowl upside down inside a large bowl. Stand the cob on its flat end on the small bowl and, using a sharp knife, slice down the cob.
The kernels will fall into the large bowl. Remove the small bowl.
Add the black beans, cubed avocado, diced onion and capsicum along with the chopped coriander to the corn. Remember to reserve a few coriander leaves for garnish.
To make the dressing:
In a small bowl combine the extra virgin olive oil, freshly squeezed lime juice, maple syrup, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Check that the dressing is to your taste. It should be bright with the zing of lime, but not so sharp as to be unpleasant. Add a dash more maple syrup if necessary.
Add the dressing to the corn mixture, toss gently to combine the ingredients and turn into a serving bowl. Add the reserved coriander leaves to garnish.

Notes

*The Australian tablespoon is 20ml or 4 teaspoons. In many other countries, the tablespoon is 15ml or 3 teaspoons. You may need to adjust your measurements accordingly.
*Prior to cutting the lime, roll it on a hard counter. It will soften the flesh and make it easier to extract the juice.
*When purchasing limes, don’t reject those with a touch of yellow. They are not past their prime. They do, in fact, become yellow as they ripen. I prefer to use them this way; a riper lime is juicier, sweeter and less acidic than an under-ripe one.
*To keep the recipe vegan, I have used maple syrup. You could use honey if you prefer.

Nutrition