The Back Yard Lemon Tree

This salad is from one of my favourite cookbooks Community and features two of my favourite foods black beans and roasted pumpkin, add some barbecued corn and it’s a win, win, win recipe. Plus sour cream is a VERY underrated condiment.

It’s hearty enough to make it a meal on it’s own but if you crave some extra carbs serve with Spanish rice or some crusty bread on the side.

Barbecued corn and roasted butternut pumpkin with black beans and jalapeno sour cream

Adapted from Community by Hetty Mckinn

• 1 butternut pumpkin (1 kg) Peeled and cut into 2 cm cubes
• 3–4 tablespoons olive oil
• Sea salt and black pepper
• 5 corn cobs, husks removed
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 500 grams cooked black bean, drained (about 2 cans)
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted
• 1/2 cup coriander leaves
• 50 grams Manchego or Pecorino Romano, grated
• 1 lime, quartered

Cumin vinaigarette

• 1 garlic clove, grated
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoon white wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 5 tablespoon extra virgn olive oil
• 1/4 cup of coriander leaves

Jalapeno sour cream

• 300 mls sour cream
• 1 Jalepeno chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Place pumpkin cubes on baking sheet toss with 2–3 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 30 about minutes or until tender. Remove from oven and set aside.
2. Heat a griddle or barbecue to high, drizzle the remaining olive oil over the corn and place on the griddle, turning it every minute until until all sides are cooked and slightly charred. Allow corn to cool and slice kernels off the cob. Sprinkle corn kernels and sprinkle with pinch of paprika, salt and pepper,
3. Make vinaigrette by whisking together all ingredients.
4. Arrange black beans, pumpkin and corn on a platter. Pour over vinaigrette and toss through well. Sprinkle pumpkin seeds, coriander leaves and grated cheese over the top. Serve with lime wedges and a dollop of sour cream.