Make Ahead

Sweet Potato - Black Bean Salsa

by:
November 11, 2009
4.5
2 Ratings
  • Serves A party
Author Notes

This is an earthy salsa that I find very satisfying in the winter, when tomatoes aren't as good as they are during the summer. Personally, I like to cook the beans myself, because I find canned beans too mushy and salty. If you're using canned beans, however, be sure to rinse them thoroughly so that they don't discolor the other ingredients. Also, I tried to give a range for each ingredient other than the beans and sweet potatoes, because the balance here is very much a matter of personal taste. The only thing I would insist on is that the sweet potatoes and beans be in a 1 to 1 ratio. If you can't find ripe (red) jalapeños, I would use a mix of green jalapeños and some other red chile. The red is mainly chosen for its visual impact anyway. —Collin

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Ingredients
  • 1 cup sweet potatoes, about ¼ inch dice
  • 1 cup black beans (if using canned black beans, rinse them thoroughly)
  • ½ to 1 cups diced red onion
  • 2-4 cloves minced garlic
  • 2-3 fresh ripe (that is to say, red) jalapeños or 1-2 fresh chiles de arbol, stemmed, seeded (don’t forget to remove the ribs!) and chopped.
  • Juice of 1-2 limes
  • ½ to 1 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 Tablespoon of olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
  • Salt
Directions
  1. Heat the olive oil in a non-stick pan until it's good and hot, and add the sweet potatoes. Sauté over medium-high heat, stirring and tossing regularly, until cooked through and nicely caramelized — about 15 minutes.
  2. Add the garlic and sauté for one minute longer.
  3. Toss with the remaining ingredients and salt to taste. Let sit for at least 30 minutes before serving – stirring twice in that time.
  4. Use anywhere you would use a salsa fresca — with chips, topping a taco, soup, some fish or chicken. Personally, I like it with chips and fresh margarita.

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