In Friday's CoC, Greek(??) was calling for recipes to up his veggie intake. The specific context was Indian food, but I was determined to have burritos last night, so the Indian recipes will have to wait.
Instead, I'm offering a refreshing, crunchy salad/salsa, easy to make and perfect to accompany something On The Grill (ahem -- consider that a Batsignal, Banjo).
Cucumber-Corn Salad with Chile-Lime Dressing
| 1 can sweet corn (or 2 ears fresh corn, preferably roasted, and stripped) | 1/2 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced |
| 1 red bell pepper, roasted, peeled and chopped | 1 avocado, diced |
| 1 tbsp chopped cilantro, with stems | chile-lime vinaigrette to taste |
for the dressing:
1 tsp ground chile (New Mexico or California, or paprika can substitute, 1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne
a big pinch of kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper
1-2 cloves of garlic, smushed into a paste, 1 tbsp honey
juice of 1/2 lime plus grated lime zest, extra virgin olive oil
gently heat the chile, salt and pepper to "bloom" the essential oils (a quick zap in the microwave, or heat briefly in a small frying pan). Put into a small mixing bowl and combine with honey, then the garlic and lime. Whisk in olive oil until you've reached your desired consistency (about 1/3 cup of oil). Check for seasoning. If it needs more acidity, add a few drops of red wine vinegar or more lime juice.
gently combine all vegetables and dress with the viniagrette. Mix in the cilantro and serve. This works as a salad or salsa. Great accompaniment to grilled chicken, ribs, pork, fish, black beans...beer and chips.
Afternoon baseball has a way of building an appetite while simultaneously sapping the will to invest the time and effort to make a complex meal. This dish tastes complex, but it's pretty simple to make, and takes only one pot (plus a pot for rice). The inspiration for this dish comes from 
As the parent of a vegetablearian daughter (nay -- a vegan daughter!!!111one111!!), I'm always on the lookout for simple, satisfying and repeatable dishes that I can make for the whole family. Today's contribution is drawn from the very essence of simple, satisfying, and repeatable: pinto beans. 