Cowboy Salsa

Photo: flickr user puroticorico

Ingredients

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

teaspoon hot sauce - (to 2)

teaspoon salad oil

1 garlic clove minced

teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper

1 firm-ripe avocado - (abt 10 oz)

1 can black-eyed peas - (15 oz)

1 can corn kernels - (11 oz)

cup thinly-sliced green onions

cup chopped fresh cilantro

pound Roma tomatoes coarsely chopped

Salt to taste

1 bag tortilla chips - (6 oz)

(or 2 cups finely-shredded cabbage)

Preparation

In a large bowl, mix vinegar, hot sauce, oil, garlic, and pepper. Peel, pit, and cut avocado into 1/2-inch cubes. Add to vinegar mixture and mix gently to coat.

Drain and rinse peas and corn. Add peas, corn, onions, cilantro, and tomatoes to avocado; mix gently to coat. Add salt to taste. Serve pea mixture with chips as an appetizer, or add cabbage and mix to make a salad.

This recipe yields 10 to 12 appetizer or 6 salad servings.

Comments: As chef for Soiree Catering in Santa Ana, California, Leslee Mendel Coy constantly invents new recipes. She first developed this double-duty dish for a cooking contest. Although it didn't capture first prize, it's a winner with her clients. Start with a spicy base of black-eyed peas, tomatoes, corn, and avocado. Scoop it up with tortilla chips for an appetizer, or add cabbage and it becomes a coleslaw.