Southwest Chopped Salad Recipe

A summer chopped salad featuring seasonal produce with a southwest flair!

INGREDIENTS :

2 red bell peppers, chopped

 1 ½ cups fresh corn kernels (I cooked the corn briefly in boiling water, then removed the kernels from the ears of corn).

 1 large tomato, peeled, seeded, and diced

 2 fresh peaches, peeled, pits removed and diced

 2 large avocados, peeled, pitted, and diced

 2 mini cucumbers, sliced or 1/3 English cucumber, diced

 15-ounce can of black beans, drained and rinsed

 ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Vinaigrette:

 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice

 1 clove of garlic, minced

 ½ shallot, minced

 1 tablespoon. honey

 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

 3 tablespoons olive oil

 Kosher salt and fresh black pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS :

1.Add all salad ingredients to a large mixing bowl and toss. Reserve the avocado and peaches if you're making the salad ahead of time to mix in right before serving.

2.Whisk together all the dressing ingredients except olive oil, salt, and pepper.

3.Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking constantly until the mixture is emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4.Toss the salad with the dressing and serve.

Notes :

May use chopped grape tomatoes if good quality tomatoes aren't available.

For a spicier version, add some diced jalapeno to taste.

Blanching your fresh corn will help remove the raw taste. If your corn is freshly harvested, this may not be necessary.

I like to start with ¼ teaspoon kosher salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper, taste and add more if needed.

Enjoy!!