Smoked paprika mexican-inspired salad

As wonderful as warm soups, slow cooked meals and fruit crumbles are, by the time September rolls around I'm well and truly over winter and usually stop eating anything that reminds me of it . Around about this time I start looking out for ideas for slightly more substantial salads that will carry me through the gap between winter and summer. When I was in Wellington recently I went to the Maranui Café in Lyall Bay, a vibrant joint with fantastic views and a delicious menu. I tried a couple of their cabinet salads which ended up mixing together a bit and the resulting flavour was pretty fantastic. Here is a little creation inspired by my lunch at Maranui, which makes a perfect packed lunch. It's very filling, has lovely warm flavours and you can create it from fresh or canned corn if corn isn't yet in season.

Smoked paprika mexican-inspired salad

 

You'll need:

Salad ingredients
1 cup quinoa
1 can black beans (400g)
2 corn cobs, or 1 can corn kernels (400g)
1 red capsicum
1/2 red onion, finely sliced
handful of fresh coriander leaves, chopped (you can finely slice the stalks as well)
small bunch of kale (can add more or less depending on how filling you like your salads), roughly chopped (take out the stems!)
1 punnet of cherry tomatoes cut in half

Smoked paprika dressing
3/4 cup of vegetable oil
3Tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tsp honey
1 tsp dijon mustard
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 Tbsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp salt
pepper to taste

To make:

The main event

1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Cook the quinoa according to the packet instructions and let cool.
3. Put the whole capsicum alongside the unhusked corn on the cob (if using) on an oven tray, turning occasionally.
4. Cook corn for 30 minutes or until tender and remove from oven and let cool. When cooled, peel off the husks and slice off the kernels with a knife.
5. Remove capsicum from oven when it is charred and blistered (approximately 35 minutes), place immediately into a bowl of cold water and peel off skin. Once this has cooled, slice into strips.
6. Mix cooled corn, capsicum and quinoa with remaining ingredients.

Smoked paprika dressing
Combine all ingredients and blend well. 

The end
Dress salad according to your taste and serve up!