I’m not sure if this is the exact name my Aunt Denise uses for her bell pepper/cilantro/black eyed pea salsa-esque dish that’s always been such a hit but if it is, boy, that woman can sure make a mean Texas Caviar.

Crisp, refreshing, and an instant hit at any party you think to bring it along to, this easy dish is a must try for the warm months ahead.  And bonus! It’s super simple to prepare.  Chop, dress, season, enjoy! Ok ok, I guess I can go into a little bit more detail…

Ingredients:
2 15 oz. cans black eyed peas
1 15 oz. can corn (by all means swap in fresh corn if it happens to be in season!)
3 peppers (I fancied yellow, orange and red)
2 red onions
1 large bunch cilantro (if you’re into that kind of thing, which I am)
1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic
S&P
dash of hot sauceFirst – drain and rinse the black eyed peas and corn, set aside.  Chop all the remaining vegetables to about the same size as the corn and black eyed peas (I should have made this dish while I was in culinary school for some extra knife work practice- we were forever trying to perfect our fine dice, or brunoise.)

Once everything is chopped place in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper.  Dress the veggies with the oil, vinegar and finely chopped garlic.  Add the cilantro and hot sauce and toss well to combine.  Refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours to allow the flavors to meld.
It’s such a fun dish – it looks a bit like confetti doesn’t it!?  Enjoy it over greens or grab a bag of chips and dig in, you can’t go wrong!

And Aunt Denise, if you’re reading this, I’m looking forward to hearing how this compares with your recipe!