Cowboy Caviar

As chef for Soirée Catering in Santa Ana, California, Leslee Mendel Coy constantly invents new recipes. She first developed this double-duty dish for a cooking contest. Although it didn't capture first prize, it's a winner with her clients. Start with a spicy base of black-eyed peas, tomatoes, corn, and avocado. Scoop it up with tortilla chips for an appetizer, or add cabbage and it becomes a coleslaw.

Yield: Makes 10 to 12 appetizer or 6 salad servings

Ingredients

• 2  tablespoons  red wine vinegar
• 1 1/2  to 2 teaspoons hot sauce
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  salad oil
• 1  clove garlic, minced
• 1/8  teaspoon  pepper
• 1  firm-ripe avocado (about 10 oz.)
• 1  can (15 oz.) black-eyed peas
• 1  can (11 oz.) corn kernels
• 2/3  cup  thinly sliced green onions
• 2/3  cup  chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2  pound  Roma tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• Salt
• 1  bag (6 oz.) tortilla chips or 2 cups finely shredded cabbage

Preparation

1. In a large bowl, mix vinegar, hot sauce, oil, garlic, and pepper. Peel, pit, and cut avocado into 1/2-inch cubes. Add to vinegar mixture and mix gently to coat.

2. Drain and rinse peas and corn. Add peas, corn, onions, cilantro, and tomatoes to avocado; mix gently to coat. Add salt to taste. Serve pea mixture with chips as an appetizer, or add cabbage and mix to make a salad.

Nutritional analysis per appetizer serving.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

159 (42% from fat)

Protein:

3.9g

Fat:

7.3g (sat 1.3)

Carbohydrate:

22g

Fiber:

2g

Sodium:

272mg

Cholesterol:

0.0mg