Why do you watch cooking shows, read cookbooks, and browse through food magazines? Maybe to gain insight, ideas, and inspiration when you see what other chefs are up to. Whether your desire is writing cookbooks, penning a blog, cooking for your family, or baking for fun, the hands-on task of face-to-face contact with other home chefs is invaluable.
Once a month my foodie friends and I gather at the library to sample and share scrumptious fare. Some months we enjoy interesting food centered speakers. At other meetings we have challenges that are focused on a particular theme. In September, our mission was to make a salad using stone fruit. I chose peaches and these ripe juicy orange gems are like a cool breeze against the chilies and southwestern spices in my Mexican salad.
This spicy Mexican salad full of lentils, roasted corn, onions, summer peaches, and fresh herbs, coated in a creamy southwestern dressing and served over mini corn cakes won a first place prize from my recipe swappers group!
Meat lovers you'll be satisfied with the black beans and seasoned crisp chick peas. Vegetarians, you too will enjoy this original meatless meal. And Mexican fanatics you will appreciate the cumin, coriander, and chili notes threading throughout the salad. Corn chips are also a terrific vessel for this substantial Mexican salad but I thought a soft corn bed would be different and it added another texture to this flavorful healthy salad. I did sprinkle some lime chips over the top which added a wonderful crunch in addition to the celery and bell peppers.
Ingredients For Salad
1 can white corn, drained
1 can chick peas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup onion
1/2 of a large orange bell pepper
2 tablespoons Grape Seed oil
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup bell peppers, mixed colors, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
3 tablespoons jalapeno, diced small
2 medium peaches, peeled and chopped (do this at the last minute right before serving)
2 pinches of salt
1 pinch of pepper
2 spring onions, chopped (for garnish)
1/4 cup crushed lime tortilla chips
You can get the corn cake recipe here - Just stir 1/2 of a jalapeno pepper (seeds removed) diced small and 1/4 cup chopped chives into the batter.
Ingredients For Dressing
the 1/2 of roasted orange bell pepper
the roasted onion
1 - 4 ounce can green chilies
1/4 cup fresh oregano
1/4 cup fresh parsley
8 ounce sour cream
juice from 1/2 a lime
1/4 cup Apothic white wine (or other semi-dry white wine)
1 teaspoon chili powder1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
salt and pepper to taste
Directions For Salad
Make corn cakes from above recipe. I usually plan ahead and make the corn cakes for another meal and then I have those already done.
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place first 5 ingredients into a Ziploc bag. Massage together. Place on a large cookie sheet. Spread everything out into a single layer. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes until the vegetables are slightly charred and the chick peas are a little crisp. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
Add the next 7 ingredients into a mixing bowl. Stir in the corn and chick peas. Set aside.
Directions For Dressing
Add pepper, onion, chilies, and herbs into food processor. Pulse a few times to chop. Add sour cream, lime juice, and wine. Pulse a few more times. Toss seasonings in and blend well.
Peel, chop, and add peaches. Pour dressing over salad. Gently toss to coat everything. Spoon into a serving bowl. Sprinkle onions and lime chips over top of salad. Serve with corn cakes.
If you want to chill this wait to add peaches right before serving so they do not turn brown. Leftovers still taste delicious but for presentation purposes you want the fruit to stay bright orange.
Pairs great with Apothic White Wine from California - This is a blend of Chardonnay, Moscato, and Riesling. First you taste tropical notes like pineapple and peach. And then you get this really interesting honey and vanilla winding through the middle of it. It's smooth and creamy, a beautiful match with spicy Mexican!
OR
New Age White from Argentina - Crisp, clean, light, and floral, this wine has notes of honeydew melon, citrus, and apricot. Sweet tones swim across your palate followed by a vibrant effervescence that slices through the sugar. Without the bubbles it would be too syrupy. It melds with the lime in the Mexican salad and it's a fabulous contrast to the southwestern spices.
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