Cowboy Caviar (Salsa or Salad)

I had a different recipe that was supposed to publish today, but after I took some new-to-me dishes to 2 different places this weekend and several asked for the recipes, I decided to offer them today.  

I had been seeing the term Cowboy Caviar trending on social media recently, so decided to explore and see what it was. What I saw was intriguing and easy to make. I had 2 events this weekend to bring food to, so loved the various options.  I could serve the caviar as a salsa with scooper chips, OR like a bean salad, OR could take the salsa and turn it into a pasta salad.

I ended making it two ways.  For the first event I made a few adjustments to the dressing and added pasta to make it a salad.  For the second event I served it as a salsa with scooper chips.  I did think it turned out well, but the extremely positive responses, especially to the salsa, was a bit of a surprise.  It is tasty, super clean, and healthy, but I also think it was unexpected. No one in either place had heard of it before. 

Below is the Cowboy Caviar I came up with after perusing several recipes, and there is a link to the pasta salad recipe which has a few slight differences.  Both recipes make an absolute ton, even by my habit of making too much standards, so best for a group get together unless you cut it down.  I also wanted to note the standard is black beans and black-eyed peas. I couldn't find the black-eyed peas anywhere, so went with black beans and pinto beans instead. I think very small white beans might work too. 

Enjoy! And let me know if you try it what you think.

Cowboy Caviar Pasta Salad - HERE  

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Cowboy Caviar

Makes a ton

Ingredients - 

Salsa -

3                     Roma tomatoes, diced

1/2 C              Red onion, diced

1                     Large orange bell pepper, diced

1/3 C              Pickled jalapeno peppers, diced

2-1/2 C           Fresh or frozen corn

1                     15 oz. can black beans, rinsed

1                     15 oz. black eyed peas, rinsed (I subbed pinto beans)

1/3-1/2 C        Fresh cilantro, chopped

3 oz.                Feta, crumbled or diced very small

1                      Large Avocado, peeled and diced

Scooper tortilla chips or large regular tortilla chips

Dressing - 

1/3 C               Olive oil

1/3 C               Red Wine Vinegar

3 T                   Fresh squeezed lime juice (or just 1 larger lime)

1 tsp                 Salt

1/2 tsp              Black pepper

2 cloves           Garlic, minced (or 1/2 tsp dried garlic powder)

1/2 - 1 tsp        Chili Powder

1 tsp                Paprika

1 T                   Honey

Instructions -

Add the fresh or frozen corn to a non-stick pan and roast over med-high heat stirring and flipping frequently. (If you don't have a non-stick pan you will need a little butter or cooking spray.) Add to a larger serving bowl and let cool while you prepare the other ingredients - dice, mince, rinse and drain, crumble and chop. 

Add the tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, pickled jalapenos, black beans, black-eyed peas or pinto beans, cilantro, feta and avocado to the corn and gently combine.  Mix all dressing ingredients and pour over the salsa.  Stir until evenly coated.  Put in the fridge to chill and blend flavors. I gave it a good hour. 

Set bowl in the middle or side of a tray and surround with scooper chips (or large tortilla chips). NOTE - while this is easy to make, if on a buffet it needs a regular stir as the dress drains to the bottom. Not too often, but it keeps the flavors of the dressing disappearing.  AND I put a slotted vegetable serving spoon in the bowl as the salsa did get wetter towards the bottom.