A few years back, on a Christmas Eve, a good friend, Patty, brought this salsa to share. As soon as I tried it, I knew I was going to need the recipe. I also knew that I probably shouldn’t steal the whole bowl and eat it by myself, but that’s what I wanted to do. This salsa requires very little effort to make, lasts several days in the fridge, has a TON of flavor, and it’s all vegetables! It really doesn’t get much better than this stuff. It’s practically diet food. I always serve it with tortilla chips, but it’s good on scrambled eggs, or a bowl of chili, and just about anything else you might be eating. I don’t think I’d recommend it on oatmeal though.

The original recipe is called Black Bean Salad and it came from a cookbook called Seaport Savories. It was actually published & sold as a fundraiser for a hospital in Alexandria, VA. According to Patty, the recipe was submitted by Katie Couric. I can’t vouch for anything else in the cookbook, but this one is a winner. I think it’s a perfect dip to serve at a New Year’s Eve party.

Corn & Black Bean Salsa

makes about 12 cups of salsa (I know, it’s a LOT, but trust me, this stuff goes fast, and you could always make a half batch if you don’t believe me.)

2 cans Black Beans
2 cans Corn (I like to get the no salt added variety)
2 cans Artichoke Hearts (not the marinated kind)
1 10.5 oz container of Cherry/Grape Tomatoes (You could use any other kind of tomato you have on hand, I just like the flavor of these. Once chopped, it equals about 1.5-1.75 cups of tomatoes.)
1 Red Onion
2 bunches of Cilantro
2-3 Lemons
1 cup of Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper to taste

1. Drain & rinse black beans, drain corn, dump both into a large bowl.

2. Drain artichoke hearts, chop into small pieces, and add to the large bowl. I try to get everything that’s going into the salsa into similar sized pieces. It makes for even distribution while you eat it.

3. Chop tomatoes into small pieces, and add to the salsa. When I use the small, cherry/grape tomatoes, I cut them into 8th’s.

4. Dice red onion into small pieces. This one is especially important. Most people don’t want to bite down on a giant piece of raw onion. A couple of things I do to cut down on the onion-chopping tears…chill the onion in the freezer for a few minutes, prior to chopping, and sharpen my knife right before I cut the onion. Also worth noting, the older the onion, the stronger the gases that will make you cry.

5. Roughly chop 2 bunches of cilantro, and add them to the bowl. Yes, it’s a lot of cilantro, Cindi. I won’t tell anyone if you decide to skip it, but you’ll be missing out.

6. Juice 2-3 lemons and add to the salsa. This is a preference thing, for sure. I tend to like more lemon juice in my salsa. Start with 1-2 lemons and add more if it needs more. It also depends on how juicy your lemons are. Using something like this citrus reamer will help you get the most out of your lemons. I measured last time I made this and I ended up using 4-5 tablespoons.

7. Add the olive oil, salt & pepper, and stir until it’s combined. Salt & pepper amounts are up to your taste also. I used about a tablespoon of salt and quite a few turns of the pepper grinder.

If it lasts, I’ve eaten this salsa after it’s been in my fridge for about a week, and it was still good. I really do adore this stuff. I’d be lying if I said I’ve never eaten it straight out of the bowl, with a spoon. So good. Make some this week. You won’t be sorry. Oh and Happy New Year!

love and butter,
amy