Wine Commentary by Gary Twining • Photo by Beth Segal
A fresh, sweet, candy onion from the farmers market is the antidote to any short-lived supermarket fare. Here’s the perfect summer salad for it – with sweet corn, peppers, and black beans in a lively Louisiana dressing.
Note: Buy Cajun seasoning or mix 2-1/2 TBS paprika, 2 TBS salt, 2 TBS garlic powder and 1TBS each of ground black pepper, onion powder, cayenne, oregano, and thyme.
Salad:
4 large ears shucked sweet corn (about 1 pound of kernels)
1 large, sweet onion, finely chopped
1 14-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
1 red pepper, small dice
1 green pepper, small dice
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
Dressing:
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp sugar
1-2 TBS Cajun seasoning
3 TBS cider vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
Bring water to boil and then add corn on the cob. Turn off the heat and let steep for 5 minutes. Set corn aside to cool. Cut kernels from cobs with a knife, slicing down into a bowl. Mix in remaining ingredients. Separately mix the dressing ingredients, but don’t add until shortly before serving.
Makes 4 servings.
You could add: Cooked salmon or shrimp.
Gary: The sweetness and unique flavor of the red peppers will give character to this dish, and the earthiness of the black beans will have a dramatic flavor impact. The Cajun dressing will also play a role in this salad’s spice and flavor levels. Look for a dry rosé or rosé sparkler. Plush, concentrated reds will stand up to the richness of the black beans and heat of the dressing. Consider Grenache/Garnacha, Gamay, Pinot Noir, Valpolicella and Barbera.
