Cowboy Caviar

Throughout the summer months, the town farmer's market has a plethora of fruit and vegetable offerings, as well as a number of other refrigerator and pantry staples, like eggs, meats, and breads. Although not as illustrious as the esteemed market up in Ithaca, or the market in Providence, where I visited with my good friend Rebecca, where the selection is massive and exhaustive, and quite delicious, I am generally able to find a stock of dependable produce items to keep me fueled and sated for the coming week. With fresh ingredients, the need to cook and embellish with sauces, stews, syrups, and the like seems to dissipate, which is wonderful in weather where I can barely stand to look at my oven, let alone turn it on and allow it to emanate heat into my apartment for any considerable length of time.

Cowboy caviar is one of those refreshing summertime dishes that requires little preparation, no additional heat, and only slight adherence to a recipe. My mother made this frequently, using what was good and available, and this is generally the approach I take; whatever is fresh and on hand, throw in. Depending on that you have added, it can be eaten as a type of salsa, dipped into with crunchy corn chips, or as a solitaire salad, strong enough to complement a hamburger or other summer delicacies.

Ingredients:

1/2 yellow, sweet, or red onion (depending on size, and taste)
2 to 3 tomatoes (I like to use heirloom, or an amalgamation of red and orange for color)
green or red pepper (or both)
2 to 3 ears of corn
can of black beans
cilantro (I buy this fresh, and add a number of hearty handfuls, tugged off straight from the stem)
salt and pepper
lime juice, preferably fresh, but I found Rose's works in a pinch

Cut ingredients and mix together in a large bowl; serve chilled. The caviar keeps well in the refrigerator, and generally tastes better the next day, as the cilantro has seeped into the juices from the vegetables.