A sweet corn and black bean dip studded with summer nectarines and bursting with flavor! Toss it all in a bowl, open a bag of chips and SNACK ON!
Every once in a while I get the notion to do a series. Past themes have featured a three week recipe series on mangoes and another one with key limes– super fun!
Kicking off August I had a hankering for dips – so for the next three weeks I’ll be featuring easy apps that showcase the best of summertime veggies. Incorporating corn in the first post was a no-brainer!
This dip recipe is simple and straight forward- it’s the sum of its seasonal parts that makes it special.
Corn, black beans, nectarine and white onion make up the bulk of the dip, with lime, honey, herbs and spices for flavoring.
Pickled jalapeños bring a mild heat and briny quality that is vital to the dish’s success.
Chef’s Notes:
- Make sure to buy a jarred jalapeño instead of canned, which I find can sometimes lack texture and flavor. Mixed all together (one-bowl!), nestled in a crunchy, salty tortilla chip and now we’re snackin’!
- You’ll only use ½ of the nectarine, which I apologize for but that gives it the best balance of flavor. Eat the remaining or toss slices into your margarita or sangria.
- Once you read through the recipe, you’ll notice that I call for cooking only two out of the three ears of corn. That’s not a mistake – I like the fresh flavor and crispness from the raw corn kernels against the other ingredients. Use a sharp knife to cut the kernels and watch out for splattering juices!! I got some in the eye last time 🙂
- This makes a big batch, on purpose. Whatever leftovers remain are excellent tossed in a salad with crisp green lettuce and crumbled cotija cheese.
I LOVE summer!!
Corn, Black Bean & Nectarine Dip
Ingredients
- 3 ears corn shucked
- 14- ounce can black beans
- ½ ripe nectarine pit removed and diced
- ¼ cup chopped white onion
- ¼ cup pickled jalapeños from a jar roughly chopped
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 lime zest and juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoons brine from the pickled jalapeños jar
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
- Tortilla chips for serving
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water that will fit two ears of corn to a boil. Cook two ears of the corn in the boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain and run under cold water to help the corn cool down and stop cooking.
- Pour the black beans into a fine mesh strainer. Rinse them well, then set over a bowl to continue draining while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- Cut the kernels from the cooked corn as well as the raw corn and place in a serving bowl. Add the drained black beans, the chopped white onion, and chopped pickled jalapeños. Add the rosemary, lime zest and juice, honey, 1 tablespoon of the brine, 1 teaspoon of the salt, cumin and allspice. Taste for seasoning, and add more brine, salt, or honey if it needs (since the corn and nectarine could be more or less sweet, you may need more honey, and since the brine from the jalapeños could have varying amounts of salt, you may need more or less salt).
- Dip can be refrigerated for a few hours. Serve with tortilla chips.
