Texas Caviar

Cookbook Category: Appetizers

Always popular at a party, Texas Caviar (with its black-eyed peas) will make for good fortune for the coming year if eaten on New Year's Day. From Patricia Mitchell's article on blackeyed pea recipes.

2 cups black-eyed peas (fresh cooked or canned, well drained)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small can of chopped green chiles
dash of cayenne pepper or your favorite hot sauce
2 tablespoons minced onion
2 tablespoons minced celery
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro, minced (or more, if you are a cilantro fan)
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced

Drain peas, rinse with cold water and drain again.

Combine olive oil, chiles, cayenne, onion, celery, vinegar, salt and pepper, and mix well. Pour over peas and stir gently. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

At serving time, add chopped tomatoes and cilantro, and stir gently to mix. Serve with tortilla chips.