Cowboy Caviar

Most likely, you have heard of this recipe before. It is the easiest thing to throw together for a summer potluck or barbecue! You can eat it ‘as is’, like a salad, or use it as a dip with tortilla chips, or even pile it ontp a burger. It keeps well in the fridge for several days and has an awesomely fresh Tex-Mex flavor. If you are not going to serve it right away, wait until the last minute to stir in the avocado. Most recipes for Cowboy Caviar call for olive oil and vinegar, but I think the lime juice and avocado provide just the right amount of tangy-fatness, without overpowering the other lovely flavors.

Cowboy Caviar

Makes 6 servings

1 can black beans, rinsed

1.5 cup organic corn

3 green onions, thinly sliced

5 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 red bell pepper, minced

1 jalapeno, minced

3 sprigs of cilantro, chopped

Juice of 3 limes

1 tsp coriander

Salt and pepper

1 avocado, diced

Combine everything in a big bowl. If you are not serving immediately, skip the avocado until serving time. When serving, I like to mash half the avocado and toss all the other ingredients with it thoroughly, then dice the other half and gently fold it in. You can turn any leftovers into chimichangas 😉

Lemony Grilled Artichokes

Summer is finally here! Pool parties, beach days, teeny bikinis, fireworks, barbecues! I live for summertime. Last weekend was Memorial Day and we had a lovely time feasting and playing a German card game called Schnautz with our friends on the back deck. A very lazy day. I wanted to make something out of the ordinary for our barbecue, so I went with these grilled artichokes. As my mom always told me, eating an artichoke first makes everything else taste better. I thought it was just a ploy to get me to eat my vegetables, but it turns out to be true! One of the chemical compounds in artichokes, Cynarine, leaves a sweet taste in your mouth.The perfect appetizer! Artichokes have some of the highest antioxidant content of any vegetable. They can help lower your cholesterol and aid digestion. If you have never cooked an artichoke before, don’t worry, it’s really easy!

 

Lemony Grilled Artichokes

makes 4 servings

2 big artichokes

3 lemons

1/3 cup olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

salt and pepper, to taste

a dash of red chili flakes

Bring a big pot of water to a boil. Add the juice from 1 lemon.

Using a pair of scissors, cut the thorny tip off of each of the artichokes leaves, then cut the artichokes into quarters, lengthwise (see pictures.)

Drop the quartered artichokes into the boiling water and boil for 20 minutes.

Pull them out with tongs and set aside.

After they have cooled enough to touch them, gently scrape out the furry little centers with a spoon.

Heat a grill to high heat.

Combine the juice from 2 lemons, olive oil, and garlic. Using a brush, coat the artichokes in the lemon mixture, all over.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper and chili flakes.

Using tongs, lay the artichokes on the hot grill and cook about 4 minutes per side, or until lightly charred. Continue basting with the lemon mixture while they grill.

Serve immediately.

These are great as they are, but I had a little of the lemon mixture left over, and you can mix in a couple tablespoons of vegan mayo to use as a dipping sauce for the leaves.

Happy Grilling!