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During my childhood, when I was around 12 or 13 years old, my family embarked on a 15-hour road trip from Chicago to Dallas to visit our relatives. The long journey was packed with mundane moments, but the highlight was undoubtedly the restaurants we encountered along the way.
Somewhere on the outskirts of Dallas, we stumbled upon a small sandwich and salad shop. While I can’t recall everything we ordered, one thing remains etched in my memory—a plastic container filled with beans, corn, tomatoes, onions, and peppers. It was labeled as Texas Caviar, and its mesmerizing textures and flavors captivated me. I found myself eagerly hoping to secure the last bite, which, fortunately, I did. That Texas Caviar introduced me to bean salads and became the first of many I would enjoy over the years.
Get the recipe: Cowboy Caviar
The recipe for what is commonly known as cowboy caviar is attributed to the renowned chef Helen Corbitt. Some sources date the origin of this recipe back to 1931 when the New York native moved to Austin, while others claim it happened in 1940. Regardless, by 1955, Corbitt had been hired by Stanley Marcus, then-president of Neiman Marcus, to manage the retailer’s in-house restaurant, the Zodiac Room. Thanks to Corbitt’s creativity and determination, the Zodiac Room became a must-visit destination. Celebrities like Charlton Heston, Zsa Zsa Gabor, and Bob Hope were frequent patrons of her tables. In a posthumous cookbook and biography titled “The Best From Helen Corbitt’s Kitchens,” editor Patty Vineyard MacDonald reveals that Corbitt drew inspiration from her travels within the United States and abroad. Marcus would later acclaim her as the “Balenciaga of Food.”
Apart from her famous recipes like poppy seed dressing (served over fruit salad), flowerpots (baked Alaskas presented in small clay pots adorned with blossoming flowers), and snowballs (frosted cake bites sprinkled with shredded coconut), Corbitt’s legacy includes Texas caviar, originally a simple chilled salad of black-eyed peas marinated in a tangy dressing. “Although not particularly fond of legumes, Corbitt ingeniously masked their flavor by pickling them with garlic and onions, achieving great success,” wrote the editors of Texas Monthly in “The Big Texas Cookbook.”
While acknowledging Corbitt’s ingenuity and accomplishments, I couldn’t help but notice the striking similarities between her recipe and older, established dishes. Just south of Texas’s border, Mexican ensaladas de frijoles closely resemble modern versions of cowboy caviar, often featuring black beans in addition to black-eyed peas. And then it hit me—black-eyed peas originated in West Africa and were brought to the Americas by enslaved Africans who excelled in cultivating, harvesting, and cooking them. It didn’t take long for me to come across recipes for saladu nebbe, a cold bean salad composed of black-eyed peas (known as nebbe or niebe in Wolof), diced vegetables, and herbs in a tangy dressing. “I would argue that saladu nebbe has always been a dish,” Thérèse Nelson, chef and founder of Black Culinary History, shared with me. “Black-eyed peas have been a staple in Senegalese and West African cuisine for centuries. It’s one of those simple salads that amalgamates available ingredients. It’s like pico de gallo, a refreshing palate cleanser accompanying rich, hearty stews.”
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Ever since I savored that unforgettable Texas caviar outside Dallas, bean salads have become a personal favorite of mine. Inspired by the recipes from Texas, Mexico, and West Africa, I’ve created my own version of Cowboy Caviar. This rendition includes fresh corn blistered in a sizzling cast-iron skillet (although you could achieve the same result on a grill). I made sure to incorporate an abundance of garlic, red onion, and chilies for heat into the dressing, which consists of red wine vinegar and olive oil. Alongside the black-eyed peas, I added black beans to enhance the visual appeal when mixed with the other ingredients. Finally, diced tomatoes and basil provide a refreshing finishing touch.
Like any recipe, consider this as a starting point and feel free to tailor it to your preferences. Don’t like tomatoes? Simply omit them. Not a fan of garlic? Exclude it. If you prefer a more traditional Corbitt-style Texas caviar, stick to only black-eyed peas and a generous amount of garlicky red wine vinaigrette. No matter how you choose to prepare it, this dish is perfect for potlucks, parties, or even as a satisfying dinner when accompanied by tortilla chips.
Get the recipe: Cowboy Caviar
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