Cowboy Caviar - (Corn, Black-Eyed Pea, and Bean Salad)

 

Cowboy Caviar is a versatile dish that can be served as a side dish, with chips, or as a topping for tacos and other southwestern dishes. It originated in Texas in the 1940s when a chef named Helen Corbit, who worked at Neiman Marcus, was preparing a traditional Texan New Year's Eve dinner. The dinner traditionally served black-eyed peas to bring luck to the new year, but Helen didn't like them. So, she decided to add her own touch and created this dish. Cowboy Caviar can be prepared in many ways, including adding avocados. I recently made this as a side dish for our weekend family meal, and it paired perfectly with the smoked ribs that my husband, Robert, made. Everyone enjoyed the flavors, but I made a lot and had leftovers that I froze in a ziplock bag. I'm sure I'll repurpose it into some soup or chili later this fall.

Jump To Recipe

Ingredients 

• 12 oz Fresh or frozen sweet corn
• 15-16 oz Can of black-eyed peas
• 15-16 oz Can of black beans
• 3/4 Cup chopped garden tomatoes
• 2-3 Cups assorted sweet and chili peppers
• Zest and juice of 2 small limes
• 2 Dashes of garlic powder
• 1 Teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 Cup Chopped cilantro
• 2 Teaspoons honey
• Salt and pepper to taste

---

Preparation - 10 minutes Cook Time - 0 minutes Serving 6-8

1. Mix the corn, beans, and black-eyed peas in a large mixing bowl.
2. Dice the tomatoes, onions, and peppers by hand or use a food processor. If using a food processor, chop the items in stages to prevent clogging up the machine. Add everything to the mixing bowl.
3. Zest two small limes with a microplane and juice them directly into the bowl.
4. Add the dried herbs, a pinch of salt and pepper, and fresh chopped cilantro.
5. Mix all ingredients together, adjust seasoning, and add honey to taste. - Enjoy!