Mexican Rice and Bean Salad

Objective
To make a Mexican-inspired side dish to go along with stuffed poblanos. As an undergraduate, I studied abroad in Guanajuato, Mexico. My first few nights in Mexico were rough. My stomach was doing somersaults and I could hardly eat. My Señora couldn't quite get the hang of "gluten-free." While my roommate ate delicious pastries for breakfast, I choked down eggs and mango, both of which I hated. I can best describe the smell of Guanajuato as a combination of exhaust, sewerage, and corn tortillas. The last piece is what made Mexico such a great place to be gluten-free. I ate a lot of corn and a lot of rice. Ever since, Mexican food has been a staple in my diet and I couldn't have been more excited when "Taqueria Guanajuato" opened in Madison, WI with pictures of Plaza de la Paz and other familiar places. I believe this is the first recipe I've noted on my blog as gluten free (though I went back and tagged a few others). From here on out, I hope to be better at remembering my friends who are gluten-free! Recipe adapted from  Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Mexican edition.

Hypothesis: This salad will be a little zippy with the onion and jalapeño but refreshing with the vinegar and lime juice.

Materials
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups frozen peas
1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Methods
1. Bring 2 cups of water, 1 cup of rice and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed.
2. When the rice is fully cooked, move to a large mixing bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to mix thoroughly. Eat as is or chill before serving.

Results
This salad looks beautiful! The flavor is light and not overpowering.

Discussion and Future Directions
This salad made a great side dish for a Mexican entree and also made a great salad for lunch. I actually preferred the salad closer to room temperature than cold. I think that chilled, it wasn't quite as flavorful (sort of like red wine--different temperatures effect the smell and taste of your food/wine. Aromatic compounds won't be as strong if the food is colder, and the vinegar may become more prominent). I used very conservative amounts of salt and pepper, so I encourage you to continue adding more to taste.

One thing that disappointed me was that the jalapeño flavor really gets lost in the dish and there is no "zip" or heat. I de-seeded and de-veined the jalapeños which dramatically decreased the heat of the peppers (biting into seeds wouldn't be good because the texture contrast with the soft foods would be kind of weird). If I were to make it again and want some heat, I would probably use serrano peppers instead of jalapeño peppers. This makes a lot of food and since it doesn't need to be kept warm, would make a great dish for a potluck!

Supplementary Materials