Since the Cowboy Caviar recipe has been receiving the most hits recently, I figured it would be a perfect fit for a re-submission and entry in My Legume Love Affair: 12th Helping hosted this month by Annarasa. If you would like to participate in the future, be sure to check out the Monthly Host Schedule. Also, look for Hurst’s Beans to be a co-sponsor of this contest going forward and to provide prizes to each monthly winner!

As summer quickly approaches, the idea of eating a warm and hearty soup seems to steer a lot of people away from utilizing beans in their everyday diet. Because they are so easy to add to any soup or stew, it is easy to forget that beans can adapt just as well to chilled dishes. This recipe features the “earthy” flavor of Blackeye Peas with fresh vegetables, and is tossed in a delicious tangy and spicy dressing.

The name “Cowboy Caviar” sums this dish up quite well; it is a refined take on a fairly unrefined product (beans). A web search will produce quite a few versions of the recipe (one of my favorites), but the problem I have found with many of these is the use of canned beans (go figure). The issue is that canned bean products are almost always too mushy and soft. The texture of the fresh vegetables in this case is completely ruined if you use a bean that can’t hold up, especially considering that this dish is always “better the next day”. Use dry beans and not only will the final result be much better, but you can make twice as much for 1/2 the cost…

What you need:

1- Package Hurst’s® Brand Blackeye Peas

1- Cup Diced Tomato. (substitute canned if you need to)

1- Cup Sweet Corn (cut from 2 ears)

1- Cup Green Pepper, diced.

1- Cup Diced Red Onion

1- Jalapeno, stemmed and seeded.

3-4 Cloves Garlic, peeled

4-5 Stalks Green Onion

1/4-1/2 Cup Cilantro

Juice from 1 Lime

1/4- Cup Olive Oil

1/4- Cup Red Wine Vinegar

Salt and Pepper

1. Place Black-eye’s in a colander or sieve and rinse thoroughly. Sort through the beans, check for any debris or dirt and discard. Place rinsed beans in a large soup pot and cover with at least 2″ of water. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat and simmer (covered) for about 2 hrs. Check the tenderness periodically toward the end of the cooking time. When they have cooked through but are still hold their shape, remove from the heat and drain off excess water. Pour the beans into a large mixing bowl to cool off.

2. While the beans are cooking, prepare the vegetables. Cut the fresh corn off the cob and dice the tomato, onion, and green pepper into 1/4″ pieces.

3. In a food processor or blender, add garlic, green onion, cilantro, jalapeno, oil and vinegar. Puree mixture for 1-2 minutes.

4. Place chopped vegetables into container with beans. Pour dressing over the top and stir entire mixture to combine. Place in fridgerator for at least 1 hour (the longer the better) before serving to allow time for the flavors to meld.

5. Serve cold with tortilla chips for dipping.

*This also makes an excellent side dish for any meal, and is great in a quesadilla or taco too!

As summer quickly approaches, the idea of eating a warm and hearty soup seems to steer a lot of people away from utilizing beans in their everyday diet. Because they are so easy to add to any soup or stew, it is easy to forget that beans can adapt just as well to chilled dishes. This recipe features the “earthy” flavor of Blackeye Peas with fresh vegetables, and is tossed in a delicious tangy and spicy dressing.

The name “Cowboy Caviar” sums this dish up quite well; it is a refined take on a fairly unrefined product (beans). A web search will produce quite a few versions of the recipe (one of my favorites), but the problem I have found with many of these is the use of canned beans (go figure). The issue is that canned bean products are almost always too mushy and soft. The texture of the fresh vegetables in this case is completely ruined if you use a bean that can’t hold up, especially considering that this dish is always “better the next day”. Use dry beans and not only will the final result be much better, but you can make twice as much for 1/2 the cost…

What you need:

1- Package Hurst’s® Brand Blackeye Peas

1- Cup Diced Tomato. (substitute canned if you need to)

1- Cup Sweet Corn (cut from 2 ears)

1- Cup Green Pepper, diced.

1- Cup Diced Red Onion

1- Jalapeno, stemmed and seeded.

3-4 Cloves Garlic, peeled

4-5 Stalks Green Onion

1/4-1/2 Cup Cilantro

Juice from 1 Lime

1/4- Cup Olive Oil

1/4- Cup Red Wine Vinegar

Salt and Pepper

1. Place Black-eye’s in a colander or sieve and rinse thoroughly. Sort through the beans, check for any debris or dirt and discard. Place rinsed beans in a large soup pot and cover with at least 2″ of water. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat and simmer (covered) for about 2 hrs. Check the tenderness periodically toward the end of the cooking time. When they have cooked through but are still hold their shape, remove from the heat and drain off excess water. Pour the beans into a large mixing bowl to cool off.

2. While the beans are cooking, prepare the vegetables. Cut the fresh corn off the cob and dice the tomato, onion, and green pepper into 1/4″ pieces.

3. In a food processor or blender, add garlic, green onion, cilantro, jalapeno, oil and vinegar. Puree mixture for 1-2 minutes.

4. Place chopped vegetables into container with beans. Pour dressing over the top and stir entire mixture to combine. Place in fridgerator for at least 1 hour (the longer the better) before serving to allow time for the flavors to meld.

5. Serve cold with tortilla chips for dipping.

This also makes an excellent side dish for any meal, and is great in a quesadilla or taco too!

With a huge rise in popularity over the last decade or so, hummus has become a staple item at almost every grocery store in America. But like many foods (especially bean dishes), this glorified bean paste is always better when homemade.

Quick lesson:

Most recipe’s you will find online call for “Chickpea’s” to make hummus.

Chickpea’s = Garbanzos.

The name Chickpea has French and Latin derivatives, while the name Garbanzo has Spanish origins.

Lesson over.

When looking for hummus in stores, there are usually many different styles and flavors with all sorts of added ingredients. Roasted Red Pepper. Horseradish. Eggplant. Sun-dried tomato. Olive… the list is extensive. I prefer the more traditional version with tahini (sesame paste) and a small amount of roasted garlic.

What you need:

• 1- Package Hurst’s Dried Garbanzo Beans

• 1- Tablespoon Tahini
• 1/2- Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (this can be adjusted to desired consistency)
• 1- Teaspoon Cumin
• 1- Teaspoon Paprika
• 1- Tablespoon Chopped Parsley
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 3-4 Cloves Roasted Garlic
• Salt and Pepper to taste

1. In a large bowl, cover beans with about 2″ of water and soak overnight or at least 8 hours. Drain and rinse the beans with cold water and place them in a large pot with 2 quarts of water.

2. Turn the heat up to high and bring the beans to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for roughly 2.5 hours (or until beans are tender). Add water as necessary to compensate for evaporation.

3. While waiting for the beans to cook, prepare the roasted garlic. Preheat oven to 350º. Remove the top portion of the garlic head. Drizzle the remaining bottom portion with a small amount of olive oil. Wrap in foil and place directly on the oven rack. Roast for 30-45 minutes until the cloves are softened. Allow to cool for several minutes and then remove the cloves individually with the tip of a fork or knife. Set aside for later.

4. After beans are fully cooked, drain through a colander or sieve and rinse with cold water.

5. Dump all ingredients, except for olive oil, into  a food processor or blender. Begin to pulse and blend while slowly drizzling in the oil. Once all ingredients are incorporated and the desired texture is reached, use a spatula to remove the mixture into a serving dish.

6. When ready to serve, drizzle some olive oil and a pinch of paprika over the top. Accompany with some warm pita chips (or fresh veggies) and ENJOY!

We get a lot of inquiries about how to use our beans other than in soup recipes. One of my personal favorites, especially during the warm summer months, is this cold black bean and corn salad. With just a few simple ingredients, it can be the perfect appetizer or side item at your next Mexican fiesta.

What you need:

• 1- package Hurst Black Beans (save the seasoning packet for another time)

• 1- Cup chopped red onion
• 1- Can diced green chilies
• 1- Can corn (drained)
• 1- Tablespoon (or more) of hot sauce
• 1- Clove minced garlic (not pictured)
• 1- Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
• Juice from 1 lime
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Rinse and sort through the black beans, checking for any debris that may be present. Soak the beans in a large bowl of water overnight or at least 8 hours. Drain and place into a large soup pot with 2 quarts (8 cups) of fresh water.

2. Bring the beans to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat and let simmer for 2.5 hours, stirring occasionally. If too much liquid evaporates before they are fully cooked, just add more water as necessary.

3. While the beans are cooking, prepare the other ingredients. Chop 1 cup of red onion (usually 1/2 of a large onion), mince the garlic, cut the lime in half, and give the cilantro a rough chop. To save time later, you can open both the can of corn (drain) and also the can of diced green chilies.

4. Once the beans are fully cooked (tender but not mushy), place them in a colander or sieve and rinse with cold water.

5. Place all ingredients into a large bowl and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (can be left overnight).

6. Serve with tortilla chips and a cold Mexican beer… ENJOY!

*Note: Many of the recipes online call for canned beans… while that might work well for time constraints, the final product just has a better flavor and texture when using dried beans.