Jess’ Secret Signature Summer Salad

April 22, 2022 /

Tomorrow is my Great Aunt Flo’s 98th birthday, and we are going to gather to celebrate with her. It will be picnic type potluck outside at her retirement home, and the menu is mostly take out, KFC, Strawberry pie, that kind of thing. I decided to make a black bean and corn salad that I adore. I first got the recipe from my blog friend Jess Riley in 2007, and while I have it printed out, I had a horrible thought…what if she were to shutter her blog, and I lose my printed copy, and the recipe is gone forever???? I can’t bear the idea. So, I’m going to copy it here. It’s truly delicious, and always a hit. In the late summer I use fresh corn and add more tomatoes. This time of year, tomatoes are not at their best, so I just throw some in to say I did. Below, the recipe from her page, all credit to her.

Jess Rileys Secret Signature Summer Salad and Salsa

Serves: Oh, I don’t know, depends how piggish everyone is.

The Players
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 ½ cup frozen sweet corn kernels
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 orange bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
½ medium red onion, diced
3 green onions, chopped (thought you might be tired of “dicing” by now)
2 ripe but firm avocados, diced (again with the dicing)

The Brine
2/3 cup fresh lime juice
½ cup olive oil
4 large cloves garlic, minced (smaller than a dice!)
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
dash cumin

In salad bowl, combine beans, corn, tomatoes, avocado, bell pepper, and onions. Toss gently until the mixture resembles a Benetton ad from the eighties.

In a small jar with tight-fitting lid: Mix lime juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and spices. Cover and shake until everyone’s getting along swimmingly.

Introduce the brine to the players. Refrigerate overnight, bring to the party, peel off the cover to release a garlic-scented cloud, sit back, drink a margarita, scratch a mosquito bite, and collect the compliments like trading cards. Pretend to be modest, and tell them Jess Riley sent you.

13 Comments

    • J

      April 25, 2022 at 4:31 pm

      Oh gosh, with fresh (frozen) corn, I think it would be delicious. Actually, I think it would be really good with roasted corn…hmmm…

  • nance

    April 23, 2022 at 7:20 am

    I have a recipe so similar to this, but minus the avocado. It’s for a salsa, which is kinda what this is. It’s so delicious. I throw in some finely diced jalapenos.

    And I have used some good quality canned tomatoes (petite dice) to very good effect.

    • J

      April 25, 2022 at 4:30 pm

      Nance, how do you think your recipe would be WITH avocados? Would they improve it, or no? I love avocados so much, I have to add them. I hadn’t thought of canned tomatoes when the fresh ones are out of season…good thinking.

      • nance

        April 26, 2022 at 6:04 am

        I think if you add the avocados, you’d have to plan for no leftovers. Avocados break down so much with acid, and they will turn brown after such a short amount of time. The leftovers would not look very nice.

        I love them so much, too, so maybe I’d add them at service.

        • J

          April 26, 2022 at 11:19 am

          Believe it or not, the avocados are fine in this…I think there’s enough lime that they don’t brown. I made the dish on Friday afternoon, and here it is Tuesday and they are still green. Not as vibrant or as firm as they were on Friday or Saturday, though, so perhaps your idea is a good one. 🙂

    • J

      April 25, 2022 at 4:29 pm

      Nance, she says in her blog post that it is delicious with tostitos, and it is. I had some trouble copying it over (WP was being a pain in the butt) and I lost that comment. I sometimes use it as a salsa, but usually more of a side salad.

    • J

      April 25, 2022 at 4:32 pm

      Thanks Ally, yes, I am glad I was proactive about it. Also that it makes a LOT, so I always have leftovers for a couple of days. I could halve the recipe, but that would be stupid, because then…NO LEFTOVERS!