Cowboy caviar salad with heirloom tomatoes

Name: Cowboy caviar salad with heirloom tomatoes
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 6-8
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Ingredients: 2 corn cobs; ½ green capsicum, finely diced; ½ red capsicum, finely diced; ½ yellow capsicum, finely diced; 1 small red onion, finely diced; 250g sweet cherry tomatoes, quartered; 1 avocado, peeled and hulled, diced; 2 large heirloom tomatoes, mixed in colour; 400g can black beans, drained and rinsed thoroughly; 1 cup spinach leaves, roughly chopped; 1½ cups chopped soft herbs (I used mint, coriander and basil)

Katrina Meynink

December 13, 2022

Heirloom tomatoes topped with "cowboy caviar".Katrina Meynink

easyTime:< 30 minsServes:6-8

You will be making this salad on repeat all summer. It's crisp, crunchy and vibrant with the kind of staying power other salads can only dream of. I love this for the heirloom tomatoes layered across the base – they poke out like flower petals, absorbing all the juices that drip down from the salad, making them taste like pure heaven.

Ingredients

2 corn cobs
½ green capsicum, finely diced
½ red capsicum, finely diced
½ yellow capsicum, finely diced
1 small red onion, finely diced
250g sweet cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 avocado, peeled and hulled, diced
2 large heirloom tomatoes, mixed in colour
400g can black beans, drained and rinsed thoroughly
1 cup spinach leaves, roughly chopped
1½ cups chopped soft herbs (I used mint, coriander and basil)

Dressing

2 tsp ground chipotle
juice and zest of 2 limes
½ cup olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander

Method

Step 1
Whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a bowl, adjusting the lime juice and sugar until you reach your desired acidity. Season with salt and pepper and set aside
Step 2
Steam or boil the corn until just cooked but the kernels retain freshness and bite (about 2 minutes). Slice the kernels with a knife into a large bowl.
Step 3
Add the chopped capsicum, onion and cherry tomatoes, turning gently with a spoon to combine. Add the black beans, tossing to incorporate, then add the spinach and herbs. Add most of the dressing, reserving 2 tablespoons, and let the salad sit for 1-2 minutes for the flavours to infuse.
Step 4
Meanwhile, cut the heirloom tomatoes horizontally into slices and place them across the base of a large serving platter. Spoon over the reserved dressing, then top with the salad mixture in the centre. Season again with salt and pepper and serve.