Call it Cowboy Caviar, Texas Caviar, even Redneck Caviar. You can bellow about Beluga all you want, but here in the Southwest, we love our caviar made with black beans, black eyed peas, roasted corn on the cob and a bunch of colorful and crunchy diced vegetables that make up the perfect salad, appetizer, dip or side dish! Cowboy Caviar is the perfect picnic or potluck recipe and you can spice it up as much as you want with more jalapenos and hot sauce! You can make it up the night before and let the tangy dressing settle into the veggies and spices! There are two additions to this Cowboy Caviar that give is a smooth, unique twist; diced avocado and sliced red seedless grapes. That burst of sweetness does a happy dance in the bowl with the spicy ingredients and vinaigrette dressing so your taste buds just want more and more. Grab a big bag of your favorite tortilla chips for dipping and dive right in!
Servings |
- 2 ears fresh corn, shaved (or 1 (15 ounce) can corn kernels, drained and rinsed
- 1 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15 ounce can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups tomatoes, seeded and diced Roma tomatoes (about 1 pound)
- 1 large yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 large green bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1/4 cup red onion or shallot, diced small
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced (optional)
- 1 large, ripe avocado, diced
- 1 1/2 cups seedless red grapes, halved
- 3/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- mixed greens for garnish (optional)
- tortilla chips for serving
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup fresh lime juice (about 3 limes)
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 large clove fresh garlic, pressed or minced
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teapoon black pepper
Ingredients For the Salad:
For the Dressing:
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- If using fresh corn, shave the corn kernels off the husks. For canned corn, drain and rinse. (Note: For added flavor, place the corn in a dry hot skillet and cook until kernels are charred or blackened. Set aside to cool.) In a large bowl, add the corn, black beans, black-eyed peas, diced tomatoes, yellow bell pepper, green bell pepper, red onion or shallot, jalapeƱo, chopped avocado, red grapes, cilantro, salt and pepper. Gently toss to combine. Prepare Dressing. In a medium bowl, combine extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, lime juice, honey, hot sauce, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper. Whisk until well combined. Pour over salad and gently stir to combine. Refrigerate for at least one hour. Serve over a bed of greens or with tortilla chips.