The Busy Gourmand

This is a great recipe to throw together at the last minute.  More like a salad than a salsa it goes well with grilled foods.  You can adjust the heat based on the type of tomato and hot pepper mixture you choose.  I also make this on New Year’s Day to fulfill the Southern tradition of eating black-eyed peas the first day of the year. 

• 1, 10oz can of Rotel, or other premixed tomato and green chilies
• 1, 14 oz can of black-eyed peas
• ½ red onion diced
• 1/2 sweet bell pepper diced, red if you have it
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced large
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ bunch of cilantro chopped small
• kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Drain the can of Rotel and the can of black-eyed peas from any liquid.  A mesh screen sieve works best for this.  Combine the drained tomato mixture and the black-eyed peas in a large bowl.  Add all the other ingredients and mix well.  Taste for salt.  You will usually have to add about ½ teaspoon of salt and a few turns of the pepper mill to the mixture.  It is best to make the salsa ahead and let it sit for about an hour in the refrigerator.  Make sure to remix the salsa before serving.