Monday, March 26, 2012

Black Beans with Roasted Tomatoes and Feta 

I have one thing to say about this recipe: It’s one of my favorites. Plain and simple.  I make it every chance I get.  I never really cared for black beans until I made this salad; now I can’t get enough of the stuff!  I love how simple the ingredients are and how well they work together.  It’s fairly quick to prep; however, the tomatoes take 40 minutes to roast.  It’s a healthy side for any meal.  It’s paired nicely with chicken, fish or actually, any Mexican dish.  I just love this salad-I’m too stubborn to find anything else!

Gavin prefers this salad cold; but I don’t mind it either way.  However, I should warn you. When I first tried this recipe I thought it was mediocre.  I discovered that it was a result of eating it right away without letting the flavors blend. The second day proved to be a totally different story. The lemon had soaked into the black beans and provided a stronger taste and flavor.   Therefore, I recommend waiting thirty minutes to an hour to allow the flavors to blend! 

Black Beans with Roasted Tomatoes and Feta

INGREDIENTS
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

3 garlic cloves, minced finely
2-3 tbsp. olive oil
Pinch of kosher salt
2 tsp. sugar

3-4 cups cooked black beans (2 cans, rinsed and drained)
4 oz. crumbled goat cheese feta (regular feta is fine)
Juice and zest of one lemon
3-4 scallions, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

For the tomatoes:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, salt and sugar and coat thoroughly. Place on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake for 40 minutes. Stir two or three times while it cooks. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl, combine beans, feta, lemon zest and juice, scallions, and roasted tomatoes. Toss well to combine. Refrigerate for thirty minutes to an hour prior to serving, or at room temperature.

Source: slightly adapted from Annie’s Eats, originally from Super Natural Every Day