Cowboy Caviar

As part of our Make it Mini Series, Abigail Harris-Shea reimagines trending recipes using Le Creuset Mini Cocottes. Her take on the popular cowboy caviar, also known as Texas Caviar, is somewhat of an ode to pico de gallo with a hearty mix of beans and corn. This version cooks the beans in a jalapeño-infused olive oil and roasts sweet corn in a lime butter sauce for an elevated take on the trend. Served in colorful stoneware cocottes, this savory starter is delicious served alongside crispy homemade tortilla chips.

Dressing

1 tablespoon hot honey

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Juice of 1/2 lime

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Cowboy Caviar

2 ears of corn, kernels cut off

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Juice of 1/2 lime

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 jalapeño, sliced

1 tomato, diced

1/2 red onion, diced

2 bell peppers, diced

1 peach, diced

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Tortilla Chips

4 tortillas, cut into triangles

4 cups vegetable or canola oil

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

For the dressing:

Place the hot honey, olive oil, red wine vinegar, sugar and lime juice in a small bowl. Whisk to combine and season to taste with salt and pepper.

For the caviar:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Divide the corn, melted butter and lime juice between two 14-ounce Mini  Cocottes. Place cocottes in preheated oven with the lids on, and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Place the corn in a large mixing bowl and set aside. Divide the beans and black-eyed peas between the two cocottes and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the sliced jalapenos, reduce the heat to low and cook until browned and softened, about 15 minutes. Drain and reserve the oil. Place the cooked jalapenos in the bowl along with the corn.

Drizzle the jalapeno infused olive oil over the beans and peas. Place cocottes back in the oven with the lid on, and cook for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.  Once cool, add the beans to the bowl with the corn mixture.

Add the tomato, red onion, bell pepper, peach and cilantro to the bowl with the corn & bean mixture. Add the dressing and toss to combine. Divide the Cowboy Caviar among Mini Cocottes and serve with tortilla chips on the side.

For the chips:

Heat oil in a Dutch Oven until it reaches 350°F. Working in batches, cook the sliced tortillas until they are firm and golden brown, about 2 minutes per batch. Remove from the oil and place on paper towels to drain and sprinkle with salt and pepper.