Redneck Caviar

Where did the name redneck caviar come from? One day ago I had no idea but it’s hilarious and so I love using that name. Bean and corn dip elicits zero chuckles. Zero. I probably would have never even made this dip if it wasn’t for the fact that I like saying “Hey y’all! I brought you and your youngins some Redneck Caviar!” when I walk into a party. It takes me back to my deeply southern Eastern North Carolina roots. Don’t love the name? It may also be called: Texas Caviar, Southern Caviar, and Cowboy Caviar. Wikipedia says this of Texas Caviar: “Texas caviar was created in Texas around 1940 by Helen Corbitt, a native New Yorker who later became director of food service for the Zodiac Room at Neiman Marcus in Dallas. She first served the dish on New Year’s Eve at the Houston Country Club. When she later served it at the Driskill Hotel in Austin, Texas, it was given its name, "Texas Caviar," as a humorous comparison to true caviar, an expensive hors d’oeuvre of salt-cured fish roe.”

All you need to know is this: you open some cans of beans, rinse them, chop a few veggies, stir them up with some vinegar and spices, and BAM! You’ve got a quick and easy BBQ appetizer or picnic side dish. Doesn’t get much easier than Redneck Caviar. It’s a crowd pleaser and it’s healthy too! And we thought nothing healthy ever came out of oil country. We stand corrected!

Ingredients

• 3 bell peppers, I used yellow, green and orange bell peppers, chopped

• 4 Roma tomatoes, chopped

• 1/3 red onion, finely chopped

• 1 can grilled sweet corn, or thawed frozen corn

• 14 oz can of white beans, rinsed (I used Great Northern beans)

• 14 oz can of black beans, rinsed

• 14 oz can black eyed peas, rinsed

• 2 avocados, diced

• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Dressing

• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tbsp honey

• 2 tbsp (juice of 2) limes

• 1 1/2 tsp chili powder

• 2 tsp oregano

• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, mix together beans, peppers, onion, corn, peas, tomatoes, and avocados.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients, plus salt and pepper and taste.

3. Pour dressing over bean mix and refrigerate for 30 minutes or longer for flavors to meld. Serve with crackers, tortilla chips, or on it’s own! Enjoy!