Sweet Potato Black Bean Salad

Since we had a record harvest of sweet potatoes this year I’m trying to make a point to serve sweet potatoes once a week.  This salad was an experiment based on a magazine recipe I tried a couple of years ago.  The only thing I remembered was that the sweet potatoes were peeled and roasted along with the onions, and I was wishing that the onions were raw.  I also thought that the flavor of the potatoes would be more intense if roasted in their skins.

So here goes the sweet potato ‘margarita’ salad that was a winner for our family.

2 medium sweet potatoes, roasted in skins, chilled, peeled, and cubed to make 3-4 cups

2 cups cooked black beans, rinsed

1 avocado, diced

1 small red onion or about ¼ cup diced

½ cup cilantro, chopped

1 red Serrano pepper, seeded and finely minced

3-4 T. Olive Oil

2-3 medium sized limes

Salt to taste

Scrub and roast the sweet potatoes at 400 degrees for about an hour or until done.  Be sure to poke them a couple of times with a fork so they don’t explode in the oven.   Chill for a couple of hours or overnight in the refrigerator to firm them up before peeling and cubing.  Lightly toss the sweet potato chunks with the black beans, avocado, red onion, cilantro and Serrano pepper.  Drizzle with the olive oil and the juice of 1 lime and toss again.  Sprinkle gently with salt to sharpen the flavor.  Serve with extra lime wedges.  Yum!