Thursday, November 1, 2007

Warm Black Bean and Corn Salad (with Honey-Lime Salmon)


This is a tasty, sweet and spicy, soft and crunchy warm salad. I'm not a huge fan of salmon but this would be excellent alongside chicken made in the same honey-lime marinade....someone pointed me to this recipe in a Rachael Ray cookbook, and I am always up for new salads and sides.

The red pepper in this recipe kicks it up quite a few notches - if you don't like spicy things cut the red pepper flakes in half, or omit all together. If you like spice, then flame away!

  • 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (divided use)

  • 1 medium red onion, chopped

  • 2 large garlic cloves, chopped

  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin (1/3 palmful)

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • Juice of 2 limes

  • 3 tablespoons honey (3 gobs)

  • 1 teaspoon chili powder (1/3 palmful)

  • 4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets

  • 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped

  • 1 (10-ounce) box frozen corn kernels, defrosted

  • 1/2 cup chicken stock or broth

  • 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

  • 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

  • 6 cups baby spinach

  1. Preheat a medium skillet over medium heat with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil (twice around the pan). Add the onions, garlic, red pepper flakes, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. (this will be your salad skillet)

  2. While the onions are cooking, preheat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

  3. In a shallow dish, combine the juice of 1 lime, honey, chili powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Add the salmon fillets to the lime-honey mixture and toss to coat thoroughly. Add the seasoned salmon to the hot skillet and cook until just cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. (if you are not for salmon, use the marinade to cook chicken or other fish - shrimp would be good too- however you like)

  4. To the cooked onions, add the bell pepper and corn kernels and cook for 1 minute.

  5. Add the chicken (I use vegetable) stock and continue to cook for another 2 minutes.

  6. Add the black beans and cook until the beans are just heated through.

  7. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the juice of the second lime, the cilantro and the spinach. Toss to wilt the spinach and then taste and adjust the seasoning.

  8. Serve the lime-and-honey-glazed salmon on top of the warm black bean and corn salad.