My friend Nina has a talent for finding great recipes. We’ve recently enjoyed roasted lamb and flourless chocolate cake at her table.
At a get-together this summer, she served a vegetable side salad that was amazing.
She called it “Veggie Crack.” I’ve renamed it “ABC Salad.”
I’ve made and served it twice since then and “get” the Veggie Crack name. This salad is addictive.
My husband, though, can’t remember what it’s called. He keeps asking me what the name of this salad is. I’m hoping that ABC Salad will be easier to remember.
Whatever you choose to call it, the fact remains that you will love the balanced flavors in this medley of vegetables.
I’ve tweaked the original recipe to fit what we are trying to do with our diets: Eat more beans, cut down on sugar, and incorporate lots of antioxidants via powerhouse foods like garlic, shallots, lime, and cilantro.
For Thanksgiving, Really?
Maybe it isn’t your traditional Thanksgiving side, but this salad has a wonderful, fresh taste. It will fill the void of a fresh side dish if you don’t like cranberry sauce and/or you don’t want to assemble a garden salad on turkey day.
No Cilantro for You
If you are not a fan of cilantro, try substituting fresh basil in the recipe. I know that parsley is often suggested as a cilantro stand-in, but parsley lacks that hint of sweet fragrance that basil provides.
Fresh Is Best
As always, be sure to use fresh lime juice. There is no substitute.
That’s worth repeating: there is no substitute for fresh juice.
Chunky Avocado
The easiest way to chunk avocado is to cut it lengthwise around the pit. Keep the two halves in their skins and remove the pit.
Then, score the flesh with a dull knife while cupping the avocado half in your hand.
Finally, using a big spoon, scoop the flesh out of the skin and add straight to your dish.
Discard the skins. It’s so easy and there’s no mess!
Give It a Rest
Like many recipes, this dish is most flavorful when the ingredients have a chance to meld. So plan on putting the ingredients together in the morning (or night before) and add the avocado just before serving.
ABC Salad: A Corn, Black Bean, and Avocado Medley
Ingredients
- 1 bag, 12 oz. frozen sweet corn thawed and drained
- 1 red pepper chopped
- 1 shallot minced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 cans black beans rinsed and drained
- ½ c. chopped cilantro plus more to garnish
- 6 T. lime juice fresh
- 6 T. olive oil
- 1 T. sugar
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. Cajun-style spice mix like Tony Chachere’s
- ¼ tsp. Lime zest
- 2 ripe avocados Add just before serving.
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together except avocado. Let chill for several hours or overnight.
- Before serving, add chunked avocados. Mix thoroughly and garnish with more chopped cilantro, if desired.
