Recipe: Chipotle Black Bean Pasta Salad

Summer Side Salads Series (3 of 3)

Put a little heat in your seat!

Mexico's small but mighty dynamo, the smoke-dried jalapeno pepper known as chipotle, is heating up the Scoville! OK, a bit of a stretch perhaps as it only reaches the mid mark of the scale with a a rating between 10,000-50,000 Scoville units (http://www.chilipepper.com/).

However, If you enjoy TEX-MEX cuisine then this is the pepper for you. Use it as a marinade (adobo) for grilled pork. Sprinkle a little on sweet buttered corn on the cob. Chipotle mayo perhaps? How about a salad with a balanced blend of south-of the-border favorites? Today's featured recipe of Chipotle Black Bean Pasta Salad provides everything for a fiesta en la boca (a party in your mouth). And, you only need 6 ingredients. Let's get this party started!

Ingredients: 

1-18 oz. bag frozen sweet corn
1 1/2 pints grape tomatoes
1 lb. black bean chipotle fettuccine
12oz. Marzetti Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette
1 bunch fresh cilantro
3 stalks green onions.

Directions:

Thaw frozen corn and drain. Set aside. Quarter grape tomatoes. Remove white onion ends and rough chop green leaves. Place ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Meanwhile, place fettuccine into a large pot of boiling water and cook well but not limp. Drain and place into bowl with other ingredients. Pour vinaigrette over salad and garnish with rough chopped cilantro. Mix thoroughly and refrigerate overnight. Salt to taste prior to serving.