When I first tried Texas Caviar at a friend’s house years ago, I was expecting something that looked like…caviar. I quickly realized that Texas Caviar bears no resemblance to the fancy fish eggs from the sea. This side dish is a refreshing hybrid between Texas Caviar and rich guacamole made with ripe avocados. It's a wonderful medley of flavors that can be served with tortilla chips, added to tacos, or even enjoyed on its own.
Ingredients
For the Texas Caviar:
1canblack-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1canblack beans, drained and rinsed
1cupcanned corn, drained and rinsed
1red bell pepper, small dice
1smallred onion, small dice
1Roma tomato, seeds removed, flesh cut medium dice
1fresh jalapeño, finely minced
½cupfresh cilantro, finely chopped
2Tbspolive oil
Zest from 1 lime
Juice from 1 lime
Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
For the Guacamole:
3ripeavocados, peeled
Zest from 1 lime
Juice from 1 lime
2Tbspfresh cilantro, finely minced
¾tspKosher salt
1bagof tortilla chips, for serving
Instructions
Begin by preparing the Texas caviar.
In a large bowl, combine the black-eyed peas, black beans, corn, diced bell pepper, diced red onion, diced Roma tomato, minced jalapeño, and chopped cilantro.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime zest, lime juice, Kosher salt, and freshly-ground black pepper.
Pour the liquid dressing over the bean mixture, and stir well to combine.
Let this mixture sit for about 15 minutes to let the flavors meld together.
While the Texas caviar is marinating, prepare the guacamole
Halve the avocados, and remove the pits.
Scoop the avocado flesh into a bowl, and add the lime zest, lime juice, cilantro, and Kosher salt.
Mash the avocado and other ingredients together with a fork until you achieve your desired consistency.
*Some prefer like their guacamole chunky, while others prefer it smoother—you do you.
Toss the Texas Caviar mixture in the dressing again, and drain off any extra liquid.
Fold the prepared guacamole into the drained Texas caviar mixture.
Gently mix until they are well combined.
Refrigerate the appetizer for ten minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.
Serve chilled with tortilla chips, or as a topping for your favorite Mexican dishes.
Notes
This dish will taste great if you make it a few hours before you intend to serve it—although it helps to drain the Texas Caviar right before mixing with the guacamole, as the tomatoes will continue to release some additional liquid over time.