Fall Bean Salad
This salad combines all the goodness of the fall harvest. I like to use different types of beans for a full color effect, but any variety will do. Chayote and delicata squashes can be easily found at most supermarkets.
Ingredients
DRESSING:
- 1 small ancho chile
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ cup olive oil
- Salt
SALAD:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 chayote squash, seeded, cut into fine dice
- 1 small delicata squash, cut into dice
- 2 cups cooked beans, drained
- 1 radish, thinly sliced
- ½ red bell pepper, finely diced
- ½ orange bell pepper, finely diced
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters
- ¼ cup cilantro, cut into fine strips
- 1 tablespoon chopped pumpkin seeds
- Salt
Instructions
DRESSING:
- Seed, devein and lightly toast chile on a griddle. Chop finely; measure 2 tablespoons and reserve the rest for another use.
- Combine the chopped chile with remaining ingredients; season.
SALAD:
- Sauté the chayote and delicata squash with the olive oil in a pan over medium heat until barely cooked; season with salt.
- Combine in a bowl with the remaining ingredients and allow to marinate for 10 minutes before serving.
About the author
Analuisa Béjar loves exploring flavor routes as the chef at her Sunny Bakery Cafe in Carmel Valley. She is a recent transplant from Mexico City, where she was a food critic, award-winning writer, editor, recipe developer, culinary teacher and organizer of Latin American gastronomy competitions.
