Layered Black Bean Salad

This is a make-ahead salad that rewards a little patience. It starts with dried black beans cooked slow in the crockpot until creamy but still holding their shape, which beats canned beans for both texture and flavor.

The dressing gets a clever treatment too. Rather than tossing in raw garlic, you simmer whole peeled cloves in the red wine vinegar and olive oil for ten minutes, then strain them out. That infuses the dressing with round, mellow garlic flavor and none of the sharp raw bite.

Tossed with green, red, and yellow peppers, the beans soak in that warm dressing for at least two hours, or overnight if you can wait. The marinade is what carries the flavor deep into the beans.

To serve, layer half the bean mixture in a bowl, smear on sour cream, then a layer of salsa, like a fork-and-spoon take on a layered dip.

Kitchen Tips

• Don’t salt the beans until they’re tender; salt added too early can keep dried beans from softening.
• Make it the day before. The flavor deepens overnight and the beans drink up more of the dressing.
• Drain the cooked beans well so they don’t water down the marinade.

Variations

• Stir in corn kernels, diced avocado, or chopped cilantro for a Tex-Mex spin.
• Add a squeeze of lime and a diced jalapeno for extra zip.
• Finish with shredded cheese or crushed tortilla chips for crunch.