Oh mercy. The Honyaks, The Evil Genius and I are all sugared out from Easter candy and craving fresh fruits, vegetables and some genuinely springlike days. We’re draped across furniture dreaming of a sunny day without bitter wind—seriously, it’s April already. So I decided to push a little summer into our meals by revisiting favorite warm-weather recipes that work with what’s available in stores, the freezer and the pantry right now.
This Spicy Corn and Black Bean Salad comes from our Bean Files and is an excellent reason to keep cooked black beans on hand in the fridge or freezer. The corn I used was frozen—this time of year, that’s my go-to (and I often use frozen corn even when fresh corn is available). For this salad, thaw frozen corn in the fridge overnight. If you’re short on time you can use the microwave to thaw briefly, but avoid cooking it: part of the salad’s appeal is a slight snap from the corn kernels, and you don’t want them to turn mushy.
Need tips for choosing and handling a perfect avocado? These pointers will help you bring home ripe, usable fruit:
- Check the skin for a uniform color. Dark spots, discoloration or perforations can signal overripe or damaged flesh beneath.
- Gently press the stem area. If it’s hard, the avocado isn’t ripe yet; if it comes away with no resistance, it’s overripe; if it gives slightly without being squishy, it’s probably just right.
- Handle ripe avocados gently in your cart and grocery bags to avoid bruising. Store them in the fridge and use within a day or two for best texture and flavor.
We prefer this salad with a definite kick—hence the habaneros in my version—but if you can’t take the heat, substitute bell peppers or milder chiles. No judgment here.
A big bowl of this makes a satisfying, light dinner, and it’s also a terrific side for grilled meats. If you want to get decadent, stir in crispy crumbled bacon—hard to go wrong with that addition.
For a photo-free, printer-friendly version of this recipe, you can find it on the site.
Spicy Corn Salad
Ingredients:
- 36 ounces frozen corn, thawed but not cooked
- 2 1/2 cups cooked and drained black beans (or 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed)
- 2 avocados
- 2 cucumbers (English seedless preferred, but any will do)
- Big handful fresh cilantro
- 1–4 fresh jalapeño or habanero chiles (adjust to heat preference)
Dressing:
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic or garlic paste
- 1/3 cup lime juice
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- Black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup canola or peanut oil
Combine the thawed corn and black beans in a large mixing bowl and set it near your cutting board. If using English cucumbers, remove any plastic wrap, slice into long strips, then dice into cubes and add to the corn and beans. If using standard wax-coated cucumbers, peel them first, halve and scoop out the seeds with a spoon before slicing into strips and dicing into cubes.
Wear disposable gloves when stemming and seeding hot chiles. Slice the peppers into thin strips, then turn and slice across to create small diced pieces. Add the diced peppers to the other vegetables and toss gently.
Remove large cilantro stems and roughly chop the leaves, then add to the mixing bowl.
To make the dressing: in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the garlic, lime juice, rice wine vinegar, mustard, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Screw the lid on tightly and shake vigorously until well mixed. Add the oil, replace the lid and shake again until the oil is incorporated and the dressing is emulsified.
Just before serving, halve the avocados and remove the pits. Score the flesh with a butter knife into a grid—slices lengthwise and crosswise—being careful not to cut through the skin. Insert a serving spoon between the skin and flesh and scoop out perfect avocado cubes. Add the avocado to the salad along with the cilantro, pour the dressing over the mixture, toss gently and serve immediately.
Leftovers keep well for a day or two in the refrigerator, though the avocado may discolor slightly. It will still taste great even if it loses a bit of visual appeal.