Recipe: Corn and Black Bean Salad

I'm pretty sure that I've shared this recipe before, but it's so simple and delicious that it bears repeating.  This is one of my favorite warm weather dinners -- so adaptable, and can be eaten warm over rice, cold wrapped in a tortilla, stuffed in a pita, piled over mixed spring greens, or served as a side to ribs or barbecued chicken thighs at a summer party.

  

Ingredients (interpret the amounts to whatever sounds good to you/whatever you have on hand.):

Black beans (I simmer 1 lb dried beans until soft, but you can use 4 - 15 oz cans instead)

Minced red or yellow onions, scallions or shallots (however much you want -- a little goes a long way because we're leaving it raw)

2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

Sharp cheddar, cubed

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

Corn (I sliced mine off of two left-over cobs from the night before, but you can use about a cup of thawed frozen corn instead)

1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

1 green bell pepper, finely diced

Sea salt (to taste)

Extra virgin olive oil (a few tablespoons or to taste)

Fresh squeezed juice from 1/2 a lemon or red wine vinegar (to taste)

1 avocado, cubed (I slice it into cubes before scooping it out of the shell)

Toss together all of the ingredients except for the salt, oil, lemon juice and avocado to thoroughly combine.  Add the last four ingredients and toss gently (trying not to squish the avocado).  Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Feel free to substitute or change the amounts of things as needed or desired.  Be creative, and enjoy!

(Served here over a bed of greens, dressed with a light vinaigrette)