Food Trends: Cowboy Caviar

Food Trends: Cowboy Caviar

Image via The New York Post

If you have been active on Tik Tok recently, you definitely know of cowboy caviar. If you don’t know, cowboy caviar is a food trend that is very similar to salsa; a basic recipe consists of bell peppers, corn, beans, onion with chips for dipping. The beans and vegetables are dressed in a refreshing mixture of lime juice, vinegar, honey, and spices. This dish is perfect for summer because it is light, fresh, and versatile. It’s more than a dip; you can enjoy it as a salad with a protein or add it to eggs, burritos, and more. Tik Tok user Bria Lemirande shared a video of her twist on cowboy caviar, with toppings like mango and feta. Shockingly, this video now has over 16 million views. Overall, Lemirande’s video has prompted many other Tik Tok users to share their own creations.

Bria Lemirande’s recipe, Image via Taste of Home.

Origins

Although Bria Lemirande popularized this food on Tik Tok, chef Helen Corbitt first created cowboy caviar was first created byin 1940. Helen Corbitt was the head chef of Neiman Marcus’s restaurant Zodiac Room in Dallas, Texas. In addition, when she first created this dish, she named it “Texas Caviar”. Chef Corbitt’s original recipe consists of black-eyed peas, onions, and garlic pickled in oil and vinegar and was served cold. Although the creations on Tik Tok are more evolved, they all stem from chef Helen Corbitt’s original recipe. Overall, Helen Corbitt invented this refreshing dish and Lemirande exposed the incredible versatility of it.

Cowboy Caviar Controversy

This week, people have been pointing out some important issues regarding cowboy caviar. Cowboy caviar is basically a different name for pico de gallo or ceviche, both of which have origins in the Latino community. This trend has been advertised primarily by white Tik Tok influencers, and they haven’t been recognizing its origins from the Latino community. Latinos are angry because many white Tik Tok influencers are appropriating their community’s recipes and attempting to gentrify them. It’s crucial to hold these Tik Tok influencers accountable and recognize that the origins of this kind of dish belongs to the Latino community.

How To Make The Tik Tok Famous Cowboy Caviar

Bria Lemirande’s recipe is by far the most popular variation. The recipe contains:

1 red bell pepper and orange bell pepper
1.5 cups of sweetcorn
Half a red onion
2 jalapenos
1 can of rinsed black beans and 1 can of rinsed pinto beans
A container of feta
A cup of black olives
Cilantro

For the dressing, you will need:

The juice of 3 limes
Half cup of olive oil
Quarter cup of white wine vinegar
2-3 tablespoons of taco seasoning
Salt & pepper to taste
2-4 tablespoons of spicy honey
3 tablespoons of sugar

Preparation: First, chop up all of the vegetables and cilantro and place them in a bowl. Second, whisk all of the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and incorporate into the vegetables. Finally, add feta on top and mix everything together.

This recipe makes a TON of cowboy caviar, so this amount is perfect for people who like leftovers. So if you are not a leftovers fan, I would recommend halving the amount. In addition, Lemirande likes to spice up her original recipe by adding mango or peaches, garbanzo beans, different cheeses, and different spices.

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