POTATO SALAD, BUT DIFFERENT

By Sara Moulton

Associated Press

Let's talk potato salad. Everyone knows it's good, but that doesn't mean it's good for you. Here's a crafty version that swaps in sweet potatoes for the more traditional white potatoes and loses the standard recipe's abundant mayonnaise in favor of a dressing high in flavor and low in fat.

White potatoes have plenty of nutritional value, but sweet potatoes - a good source of fiber that's also high in calcium, folate, potassium and beta-carotene - have them beat.

I've cast black beans and corn in support of the sweet potatoes. Like all legumes, black beans are low in calories but high in protein and fiber, and they boast an assortment of important nutrients.

Corn, of course, is in no need of hype. But it is at its best when fresh. (Corn's natural sugars start to turn into starch the minute it's harvested.) If you live near a farm stand or farmers market, buy corn in the morning, then refrigerate it as soon as you get home and cook it as soon as possible.

Typically, truly fresh corn is so good you can eat it raw. But grilling the corn, as we do here, takes it to a higher level. Somehow, this process amps up the flavor and decreases the need for fat.

In fact, with the exception of the spray used to coat the corn before grilling, there's no oil in this recipe. How did I manage that? By composing a dressing so flavorful - the keys are chipotle, cilantro and garlic - that no one notices the lack of fat. The chipotles (or smoked jalapeno chiles) are crucial. You can find them in your supermarket simply dried or in an adobo sauce. I prefer the adobo because it adds a lovely flavor of its own. (If you don't like cilantro, substitute basil or mint.)

One final note: Toss the sweet potatoes with the dressing while they're warm to help them absorb the dressing and become deeply flavored.

SWEET POTATO, GRILLED CORN AND BLACK BEAN SALAD WITH SPICY CILANTRO DRESSING

1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks

1 clove garlic

1/2 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce

1 small shallot, coarsely chopped

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 cup seasoned rice vinegar

Salt

4 ears corn, husked

15 1/2-ounce can black beans, drained

4 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced

Heat the grill to medium.

In a medium saucepan fitted with a steamer basket, bring 2 inches of water to a boil. Add the sweet potatoes, cover and steam until just tender, about 8 minutes. Transfer the potatoes to a bowl.

Meanwhile, in a blender, combine the garlic, chipotle, shallot, cilantro and vinegar. Puree until smooth. Taste, then season with salt. Pour half of the dressing over the potatoes while they're still warm, then toss well. Set aside to cool.

While the potatoes cool, prepare the corn. Mist the corn with cooking spray, then grill, turning often, until the ears are lightly browned in spots on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove the corn from the grill and set aside to cool until easily handled. Cut the kernels from the cobs. To do this, one at a time stand each ear on its wide end, then carefully saw down the length of the cob on all sides. You should have at least 2 cups of kernels.

Stir the corn kernels, beans and scallions into the potatoes, adding additional dressing as desired. Taste, then adjust seasoning.

Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 260 calories (20 calories from fat, 8 percent of total calories); 2.5g fat (0g saturated, 0g trans fats); 0mg cholesterol; 54g carbohydrates; 9g fiber; 17g sugar; 9g protein; 1250mg sodium.