Recipe: Garlic Bread Salad with Black Beans and Salsa

Garlic Bread Salad with Black Beans and Salsa
Source: Sunset Magazine August 1996
Serves 4 to 8

1 cup garlic cloves -- peeled
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups tomatoes -- seeded and chopped
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, yellow -- quartered
1/4 pound red onion, mild -- finely chopped
2 sliced green onions -- ends trimmed
1 jalapeno chile pepper -- stem, seed, mince
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro -- finely chopped
2 tablespoons lime juice
30 ounces black beans, cooked -- canned, rinsed
1 baguette -- slender
Salt and pepper -- to taste

MAKE GARLIC PASTE:
Combine garlic and olive oil in a 12-inch skillet (nonstick). Stir occasionally over medium-low heat until garlic is golden brown and soft when pressed, about 15 minutes. As cloves brown, transfer from pan with a slotted spoon. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the cooking oil. Return garlic to pan and mash with a fork or potato masher.

SALSA AND MASHED BEANS:
In a bowl, mix red and yellow tomatoes, red and green onions, chili, cilantro, and lime juice. Drain beans, but about a quarter of them on a rimmed plate or shallow bowl. Drain liquid from tomato salsa mixture onto the plate. Mash the beans on the plate to a smooth paste, then stir in remaining whole beans.

GARLIC BREAD:
Cut baguette in half lengthwise; broil halves 3 to 4 inches from heat until bread is lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Spread halves equally with garlic paste. Return to broiler about 10 seconds to warm slightly. Cut bread into 8 equal pieces and put 1 or 2 pieces on each plate.

Mound bean mixture on bread, then top with the tomato salsa. Salt and pepper to taste.