Sweet Pepper Black Bean Salsa

Sweet Pepper Black Bean Salsa is great eaten like a dip with tortilla chips or added to quesadillas, tacos and fajitas. The bright flavours of lime & cilantro give this salsa a delicious lift.

One of my favourite cookie recipes when I was growing up was called Mona’s Mother’s Mother’s Best Friend’s Favourites. I always thought it was the perfect title for a recipe since it tells the story of how good recipes travel among women.

It all stems from the fact that when women get together we eat well. We share our favourite foods and pass out the recipe to those who ask. In turn, those friends share the recipes with others and in that way good recipes travel across countries, continents, and through time.

And recipes can sometimes take on a persona of sorts when the name of some generous cook travels with them.  

As I flip through my recipe folders and handwritten cookbooks I see recipes for Beryl’s Squares, Audrey’s Meatloaf, Marie’s Pound Cake, Pat Lloyd’s Pastry and Pat Lloyd’s Other Pastry, Marie Madeleine’s Sauce, Courtney’s Salmon, Phil’s Lentil Soup, Linda’s Cashew Dip, Martha’s Chocolate Cake, Aunt Marcia’s Soft Molasses Cookies, Mary Jo's Cheese Buns, Phil's Grandmother's Waffles… I could fill a page with recipes that are anchored to people I know, or knew, or knew of.

This is one such recipe. I have devoured Sweet Pepper Black Bean Salsa at gatherings hosted by my friends Jennifer and Kim, although I have never met the originator, Astrid. 

Green Tips:

• If you're using canned black beans choose brands that have a BPA-free lining. (Here's how to reduce your BPA exposure.)
• Choose organic bell peppers and cherry tomatoes when possible since both are high in pesticide residue (Dirty Dozen)

Astrid’s Black Bean Salsa 

from Jennifer via Kim

Ingredients:

• 1 can black beans, drained (about 1 ½ cups cooked black beans)
• 1 1/2 cups of frozen corn thawed and lightly cooked
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 orange pepper, diced
• ½ red onion, minced
• 1-2 jalapenos, seeds removed, minced
• ½ cup diced cherry tomatoes
• 1/3 cup lime juice
• 1/3 cup good olive oil
• ½ tsp. cumin
• Generous pinch of cayenne (optional)
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ cup cilantro, chopped

Instructions: 

1. In a medium bowl combine the first seven ingredients. 
2. In a small bowl whisk the oil into the lime juice and whisk in the cumin, cayenne and salt. 
3. Toss with the bean mixture then fold in the cilantro. 

Serve with tortilla chips, add to quesadillas or use as a layer in fajitas.

Will last at least five days in the fridge