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Black eyed pea Cowboy Caviar in a bowl with tortilla chips

Filed Under: Food Tagged With: recipe

Cowboy Caviar Recipe

October 4, 2023 By Lucy Mercer Leave a Comment

This rustic salsa is sometimes called Texas Caviar. It was made popular in Texas by a chef and cookbook author named Helen Corbitt, who built Neiman-Marcus into a shopping mecca known as much for its food as its over-the-top gifts.

My version is a no-recipe recipe, using up bits and bobs from the kitchen to create this tasty snack. Tortilla chips are my crunch of choice and with a bowl of this on hand, lunch is served.

Cowboy Caviar Recipe

Begin with these ingredients:

1 (15-oz.) can black-eyed peas, drained

2 Roma tomatoes, chopped

1 cup frozen corn, thawed (or 1 small can corn, rinsed)

1/2 red onion, sliced into thin arcs

2 small or 1 large jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1.Toss ingredients together in a bowl.

2. Season with salt and pepper — be generous.

3. Pour in a couple tablespoons red wine vinegar, toss, then a couple tablespoons olive oil. Toss.

4. Taste and season to your liking. Does it need more heat? Add jalapeno or a splash of hot sauce.

5. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips. Store leftover cowboy caviar in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Cowboy caviar with black eyed peas in a bowl with tortilla chips
Make a batch of cowboy caviar to keep on hand for snacks and light lunches. Photo by Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

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