This dish is a vibrantly fresh summer accompaniment to grilled fish, pork or chicken. It’s also a delightful vegetarian entree with the added beans. The rice can be served warm or mixed with the salsa to be served room-temperature on a picnic buffet. Combining stretches the salsa and decreases the likelihood of the rice sticking together. Sour cream and hot sauce complement the dish well.
Don’t fear using dried beans, which are superior in texture and flavor. Even better, try to find locally grown beans, often requiring a shorter cooking time since they are less than a year old. We suggest choosing an heirloom variety of black beans, like the Cherokee Trail of Tears. CHQ Local Food, with the help of a few WNY and NWPA farmers, is making this variety more accessible in the region. The widely commercially available black turtle bean can also be used.
Ingredients
- 4 fresh peaches, chopped
- 4 fresh plums, chopped
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 2 ears of corn, cooked and kernels removed
- 15 ounces black beans, cooked (equals ¾ cup dried or 1 can of drained beans)
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 1 jalapeño, minced
- ½ red onion, minced
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped (reserve a pinch for garnish)
- 3 limes (2 limes juiced and 1 sliced for garnish)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 cups medium-grain rice, cooked (1 cup uncooked rice yields 2 cups cooked rice)
Instructions
1. Combine all salsa ingredients and refrigerate for an hour or more. The salsa can be made a day in advance.
2. Mix salsa ingredients again. Serve on a bed of hot rice and garnish with remaining cilantro and sliced limes or blend with rice for serving later.
Serves 8-10
