Simple, Versatile, and Oh So Good

By Dara O’Brien
Creative Director, Lake Isle Press

I thought I was being very fancy the first time I made rice salad instead of potato salad to bring to a barbecue. I was just out of college, and my palate and knowledge of food were both so limited, I thought this was a real maverick move.

I continue to make rice salad, and to bring it to parties now and then, but I do this because it’s good and versatile, not because I’m trying to be exotic. And just as there are so very many versions of potato salad, riffs on rice salad are endless. Plus, rice salad has the added benefit of being easier to feature as a main course than potato salad, which most of the time serves as a side dish.

Rice pairs particularly well with beans, hot or cold, and beans usually find their way into any rice salad I make. Here’s a recipe where they get equal billing: a Black Bean and Rice Salad Recipe by Catherine Walthers from her trusty book, “Raising the Salad Bar” published by Lake Isle Press.

This recipe works as a side dish, but also makes a nice main course lunch or dinner. It’s just a few simple ingredients with a dressing of fresh chile-lime vinaigrette that gives the whole dish a nice little pop. You can make it even hotter by adding minced serrano or jalapeño. I added some corn, but perhaps radishes or a roasted sweet potato could be welcome additions, along with chicken or shrimp.

The concept of a main dish salad—or side dish salad for that matter—was pretty foreign to me when I was a little girl. But it isn’t just that I was a picky eater, or that my mom was an unadventurous cook. Just take one look at the prepared salads at your local grocer and there’s a range of options that were nowhere to be seen when I was a kid. Some may be simple, like this recipe; others bring together less common ingredients in unexpectedly delicious combinations.

But the common thread is greater reliance on plant-based ingredients, and embracing alternatives to a meal composed of a protein, veggie, and starch in separate silos. And there’s nothing fancy about it.

Black Bean and Rice Salad
with Chile-Lime Vinaigrette Recipe

Click here for printable recipe.

INGREDIENTS

Serves 6 to 8

BLACK BEAN AND RICE SALAD
3/4 cup dried black beans, soaked overnight, or 1 can (15 ounces) black beans
1 cup long grain brown rice (about 3 cups cooked)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 red bell pepper, raw or roasted, cored and diced
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves

CHILE-LIME VINAIGRETTE

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder or ancho chile powder
Pinch of cayenne or ground chipotle pepper
6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
6 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

PREPARATION

1. If using dried black beans, place them in a large saucepan and cover with 2 to 3 inches of water; bring to aboil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook the beans, partially covered, until they are cooked through, but still whole, about 60 to 75 minutes. Drain the beans and set aside. If using canned beans, rinse and drain them well. Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan, add rice and salt to 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.

2. In a large serving bowl, combine the beans and the rice; mix in the red pepper and red onion.

3. To make the dressing, in a small bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients.

4. Combine black bean and rice mixture with the dressing. Add the cilantro and toss.

VARIATION: Add kernels from two ears of fresh corn for additional color and crunch. Add diced cooked chicken or shrimp. Spice up the dressing by adding 1 minced garlic clove or minced jalapeño pepper, or both.