Southwest Black Bean and Grilled Corn Salad

One of my family's all-time favorites is our Mexican Black Bean and Grilled Corn Salad. This recipe has been a labor of love over the years, and I think I’ve perfected it.

I typically reserve this salad for summer, when fresh, organically harvested corn is available here in New England. There's something truly special about sourcing fresh organic ingredients from local farms. It's one of my favorite aspects of summer and a true treat for the taste buds.

One of the key steps in making this salad is preparing the corn, which can be a bit complex. You'll need to shuck the corn on the cob and grill each ear until it’s golden brown with those perfect charred grill marks.

While you can use store-bought, pre-cooked corn, I prefer corn on the cob for its fresh taste.

Grilling the corn takes about 15 minutes but is well worth the effort. The grilling process imparts a complex, smoky flavor that makes the salad zesty and delicious. That smoky essence sets this salad apart, adding a depth of flavor that's simply irresistible.

Ingredients you will need for the salad (ingredients and directions for the vinaigrette are below):

Six ears of corn on the cob

(1 ) 15oz can of black beans

1/2 cup of cilantro

1/4 cup red onions

1/4 cup of red bell peppers

1/8 cup of poblano peppers

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Few dashes of Chipotle Hot Sauce – I use the Frontera brand because of its deep, rich flavors.

How to grill corn on the cob

Shuck corn (remove husks) and remove silk.
Coat each ear with a bit of olive oil. Enough to coat each ear completely
Sprinkle with salt and pepper
Place corn cobs directly on a medium-hot grill.
Rotate when dark spots appear and kernels deepen in color (usually about 5 minutes) until ears are uniformly cooked (usually 15 minutes). The ear will be dotted with char spots.
Remove from grill and set aside to cool.

Once the corn is cooked and cooled, remove the kernels from the cob. I have included a video showing you how to do this.

https://www.bhg.com/recipes/how-to/cooking-basics/how-to-cut-corn-off-the-cob/

Once you have all the corn off the cob, place it in a large bowl. Add all the remaining ingredients specified above. Mix. Add the Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette. (recipe below)

DIRECTIONS for Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

· Fresh lime juice and zest from 2 limes

· 2 garlic cloves, minced

· 1 teaspoon sugar

· 1 teaspoon kosher salt

· 1/8 teaspoon ground coriander (optional)

· 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

· 2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS

Measure ingredients into a bowl. You can either pulse in a food processor until well-blended and emulsified or measure all ingredients into a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake vigorously OR whisk the ingredients together in a bowl. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more salt and pepper if necessary.

You can add additional ingredients to your salad such as avocados, tomatoes and olives. It’s really up to you!

Here is my salad with a few embellishments

I hope you love this Southwest Black Bean and Grilled Corn Salad recipe as much as my family does. It has been a staple for many years and will continue to do so for many more years to come.

As with everything I post on my blog, please feel free to comment. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me through my contact page. I welcome it anytime!

Happy entertaining!

Mary