The saying goes “everything is bigger in Texas,” including, it appears, the "caviar" created from the humble black-eyed pea in the vinaigrette-soaked relish known as “Texas caviar.” This dish 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. I accent this peppery snack with home-baked lime tortilla chips.
Texas Caviar
4 cups cooked black-eyed peas
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
1 small onion, cut into small dice
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and diced
Cilantro, handful, chopped, optional
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1. In a medium size bowl, mix together peas, tomato, onion, bell pepper and cilantro, if using. In a separate bowl, stir together vinaigrette ingredients. Pour dressing over peas. Serve with tortilla chips.
Baked Lime & Salt Tortilla Chips
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 teaspoon water
1 teaspoon kosher salt
10 fresh corn tortillas
1. In a small bowl, combine lime juice, water and salt. Brush both sides of the tortillas with mixture. Cut each tortilla into six pieces and spread in a single layer on two baking sheets.
2. Preheat oven to 350. Bake chips in oven for 10 to 15 minutes, rotating the sheets to ensure even crisping. Serve warm from the oven, with extra salt sprinkled just before serving.
A primer on cooking dried black eyed peas:
1. 1. Take one pound of dried black eyed peas and pour out on a baking sheet. Sort out any rocks and gnarly-looking peas, discarding the losers.
2. 2. Pour the peas into a large bowl and cover with water. Let soak for up to an hour or overnight, changing the water several times.
3. 3. Drain the peas and pour into a pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for about 30 minutes, or until peas are tender. The peas will foam up and to keep the peas pretty, you may want to skim the foam with a fine mesh skimmer that can be rinsed in a bowl of cold water. Salt the peas after they are tender, never before.
M Mmmm, you're thinking, salty and savory, I sure could use a drink to go with this, well, here you go, a Fizzy Limonade that my girls invented this afternoon.
Fizzy Limonade
3 cups water
1 cup sugar
Grated zest of one lime
1 cup lime juice (about 6 Persian limes - not Key limes)
Club soda
Lime slices for garnish
1. In a small saucepan, make a simple syrup by combining sugar, water and lime zest. Bring just to a boil, stir to dissolve sugar, then remove from heat.
2. Set up a fine mesh strainer over a bowl filled with 2 cups of ice. Slowly pour lime syrup through the strainer. Discard the grated lime zest.
3. Stir the lime juice into the simple syrup mixture.
4. For individual servings, fill glasses 1/3 full with club soda, then to the top with limonade. Garnish with a thin slice of lime.
Text & images copyright 2010, Lucy Mercer.
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Comments
Felicia: The tortilla chips are easy and fun to play around with. Not quite as crisp and light as fried, but still tasty. And I must look for a Vietnamese fizzy limeade - thanks for the tip!
Gavin: Oh, you lawyers, it’s all caviar and champagne! Thanks for stopping by!
Lisa: I‘ve made many a black eyed pea salad, but this was my first try at this dish. I will definitely make it again. Lil‘ Bit has been begging me to make “limonade“ - and this was the result.
Fusun: It’s nice to share something new! Thanks for reading!
Emma & Christine & Theresa: Thanks for visiting!
Another Mom: I’ll take “awesome!“ The early fall light is fabulous, and the chill this week makes me work very fast.
Bell: I’m learning to embrace the cilantro - dear husband thinks it tastes like soap.
Linda: two black eyed pea recipes in two weeks - I think I’m ready to move on!