Frida's Fiestas

My friend Lisa has a great story about a recent gift she received. Her sister was on a trip somewhere and saw a Communist bookstore. Knowing Lisa's liberal ways, her sister's immediate thought was "Oh, what a great place to find a gift for Lisa!" And indeed she found a great book to buy: Frida's Fiestas: Recipes and Reminiscences of Life with Frida Kahlo written by Diego Rivera's daughter Guadalupe. Recently, Lisa prepared a dish from the cookbook and brought it to a potluck. She also let me borrow the book for a couple of days. It's beautiful. Great pictures, charming stories about Frida, and recipes for delicious looking food. I think I'm going to have to get a copy of the book.

For now, though, here's a recipe for the dish that Lisa brought to the potluck.

Bean, Radish, and Cheese Salad

5 c. cooked black beans, drained
10 radishes, cut in quarters
3/4 pound panela cheese cut in cubes (or muenster)
1/2 c. chopped cilantro

Dressing:
2/3 c. olive oil
1/3 c. red wine vinegar
2 t. chopped cilantro
2 t. salt

To make the salad, combine the vegetables and cheese in a salad bowl and toss with the dressing.
To make the dressing, whisk all the ingredients together.