Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Chopped Mexican Salad with Roasted Peppers, Corn, Tomatoes and Avocado
I found this in a magazine called "Fine Cooking" at the grocery store the other day. The picture on the front caught my eye.
This chopped veggie salad is SOOOOO good. It's labor intensive, since the operative word is "chopped". But really, it's worth it... give it a try! :) I have my doubts about it serving 8, since I served it to 6 on Sunday and there really wasn't enough.... just a heads up!
Serves 8.
For the peppers and corn:
2 large orange or red bell peppers
2 ears fresh corn
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the honey-lime-cumin vinaigrette:
1 small clove garlic
Kosher salt
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp finely chopped shallot
1tbsp honey; more to taste
3/4 tbsp cumin seeds, toasted and finely ground (I just used the same amount of ground cumin)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black peppper
To assemble:
2 large firm-ripe tomatoes, cored-seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1-3/4 cup)
1 small jicama, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice (2 cups)
2 parge firm-ripe avocados, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 2-1/2 cups)
1 15-ounce can black beans, draimed and rinsed (or 1-1/2 cups home-cooked black beans)
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
Roast the peppers and corn:
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 425. Line a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet with foil. Cut the peppers in half lengthwise and remove the stem, seed core, and ribs. Put the pepper halves on the baking sheet cut side down. Husk the corn and put the ears on the baking sheet. Drizzle the oil over the peppers and corn and rub it around to coat the pepper skins and corn kernels evenly. Sprinkle the corn with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven until the peppers are soft and slightly shriveled and browned and the corn kernels are lightly browned in a few spots, about 20 minutes. (rotate the corn occasionally as it roasts)
When the vegetables are done, let them rest until cool enough to handle. Scrape away the pepper skin and cut the flesh into 1/2-inch dice. Cut the corn kernels from the cob. You should have about 1-1/2 cups kernels.
Make the vinaigrette:
Mince and mash the garlic to a paste with 1/4 tsp. kosher salt. In a medium bowl, whisk the garlic paste with the lime and orange juices, shallot, honey, and toasted ground cumin. Slowly add the oil in a thin stream, whisking until well blended. Season to taste with black pepper and more salt and honey, if you like.
Assemble the salad:
Artfully arrange the corn, tomatoes, peppers, jicama, avocado, and black beans in stripes or piles on a small platter or other wise, shallow serving dish. Sprinkle with the chopped cilantro. Serve the vinaigrette in a pitcher. Encourage guests to spoon elements of the salad onto their plates and drizzle on some of the vinaigrette. Or drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad platter just before serving.
Categories: salads
This chopped veggie salad is SOOOOO good. It's labor intensive, since the operative word is "chopped". But really, it's worth it... give it a try! :) I have my doubts about it serving 8, since I served it to 6 on Sunday and there really wasn't enough.... just a heads up!
Serves 8.
For the peppers and corn:
2 large orange or red bell peppers
2 ears fresh corn
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the honey-lime-cumin vinaigrette:
1 small clove garlic
Kosher salt
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp finely chopped shallot
1tbsp honey; more to taste
3/4 tbsp cumin seeds, toasted and finely ground (I just used the same amount of ground cumin)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black peppper
To assemble:
2 large firm-ripe tomatoes, cored-seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1-3/4 cup)
1 small jicama, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice (2 cups)
2 parge firm-ripe avocados, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 2-1/2 cups)
1 15-ounce can black beans, draimed and rinsed (or 1-1/2 cups home-cooked black beans)
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
Roast the peppers and corn:
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 425. Line a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet with foil. Cut the peppers in half lengthwise and remove the stem, seed core, and ribs. Put the pepper halves on the baking sheet cut side down. Husk the corn and put the ears on the baking sheet. Drizzle the oil over the peppers and corn and rub it around to coat the pepper skins and corn kernels evenly. Sprinkle the corn with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven until the peppers are soft and slightly shriveled and browned and the corn kernels are lightly browned in a few spots, about 20 minutes. (rotate the corn occasionally as it roasts)
When the vegetables are done, let them rest until cool enough to handle. Scrape away the pepper skin and cut the flesh into 1/2-inch dice. Cut the corn kernels from the cob. You should have about 1-1/2 cups kernels.
Make the vinaigrette:
Mince and mash the garlic to a paste with 1/4 tsp. kosher salt. In a medium bowl, whisk the garlic paste with the lime and orange juices, shallot, honey, and toasted ground cumin. Slowly add the oil in a thin stream, whisking until well blended. Season to taste with black pepper and more salt and honey, if you like.
Assemble the salad:
Artfully arrange the corn, tomatoes, peppers, jicama, avocado, and black beans in stripes or piles on a small platter or other wise, shallow serving dish. Sprinkle with the chopped cilantro. Serve the vinaigrette in a pitcher. Encourage guests to spoon elements of the salad onto their plates and drizzle on some of the vinaigrette. Or drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad platter just before serving.
Categories: salads
