You can never have too many salad/salsa dishes in your culinary repertoire. This recipe is from my Jordanian friends in Seattle. It is a marinated bean salad that just gets better and better the longer it marinates. It has all the essential flavors of the Mediterranean with lemon, olive oil, cumin, cilantro and mint. The addition of chipotle chilies, capers, olives, artichokes or sun-dried tomatoes would give this dish a whole new dimension. Whatever you add to make this your own, it will be well received.
Serve it as part of your party hors d’oeuvres in baby hearts of romaine or endive. Or, serve it with tortilla chips like salsa, add it to tacos or enchiladas. Stuff it in hollowed out crusty rolls with deli meats and cheeses like a muffalatta. Its a great side dish for a dinner with roasted lamb, chicken or fish. Its also a light accompaniment to a vegetarian sandwich.
Ingredients:
- 3 1/2 cups cooked black turtle beans (or 2 cans 15oz each)
- 1/2 cup sliced scallions
- 1 large tomato, seeded and diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 Tbsp fresh chopped mint (1 tsp dried mint)
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 or 2 dashes of Tabasco sauce
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tsp cumin
- Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
Method:
- Rince black beans in a collander. Place in a bowl.
- Add remaining ingredients and fold to combine.
- Marinate, covered, in the refrigerator overnight or at least 1 hour before serving in order to develop flavors.
