Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large mixing bowl
• •Mason jar or container with tight lid for dressing
• •Colander for draining beans
• •Sharp knife and cutting board

Instructions

1. 1

   Build the dressing

   Grab a mason jar or a bowl with a tight lid. Add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lime juice, honey, minced garlic, Cajun seasoning, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Seal it up and shake until everything emulsifies into a smooth, slightly creamy dressing. Taste it now. It should make your mouth water with acid and warmth. Adjust the salt if it tastes flat. The dressing needs to be bold on its own because it's about to season all those beans and vegetables.

   The dressing should taste almost too strong on its own. It will mellow considerably once it coats all those beans and vegetables.
2. 2

   Prepare the beans

   Drain and rinse both the black-eyed peas and black beans thoroughly under cold running water. Let them sit in a colander for a few minutes to drain completely. Wet beans dilute your dressing and make the whole dish watery. Nobody wants that. Spread them on a clean kitchen towel if you're in a hurry and need to dry them faster.

3. 3

   Dice the holy trinity

   Finely dice the yellow onion and celery. These two make up most of the holy trinity, and they provide the aromatic backbone of the dish. Cut them small, about a quarter inch, so every forkful gets a little crunch. Dice the bell peppers the same size. You want uniformity here because it looks beautiful and ensures even flavor distribution.

4. 4

   Handle the heat

   Seed the jalapeños by cutting them in half lengthwise and scraping out the ribs and seeds with a spoon. Mince them fine. The seeds and ribs carry most of the heat, so removing them gives you flavor without fire. If you want more kick, leave some seeds in. That's the bayou way: season to your own taste, not somebody else's recipe.

   Wear gloves when handling jalapeños, or wash your hands immediately with dish soap. Touch your eyes an hour later with pepper hands and you'll learn a lesson you won't forget.
5. 5

   Combine everything

   Transfer the drained beans to your largest mixing bowl. Add the thawed corn, drained fire-roasted tomatoes, both bell peppers, onion, celery, jalapeños, and green onions. Pour the dressing over everything and fold gently with a large spatula or wooden spoon. You're not making mashed beans here. Fold until every piece is coated but the beans stay whole.

6. 6

   Add the fresh herbs

   Fold in the chopped cilantro. The bright, grassy flavor cuts through the richness of the beans and oil. Taste now and adjust. More salt? More lime? A few shakes of hot sauce? Trust your palate. This is your dish.

7. 7

   Let it marry

   Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate for at least four hours, preferably overnight. The magic happens during this rest. The beans absorb the dressing, the vegetables soften just slightly, and all those flavors blend into something greater than the sum of their parts. Give it a gentle stir before serving and taste one more time. Adjust seasoning if needed.

8. 8

   Serve generously

   Serve cold or at room temperature with sturdy tortilla chips for scooping, or spoon it alongside grilled meats as a substantial salad. Let it sit out of the fridge for about fifteen minutes before serving to take the chill off and let the flavors bloom. Garnish with extra cilantro and a few jalapeño rings if you want to show off.

   This dish improves for up to three days in the refrigerator. The second day is actually better than the first.

Chef Tips

• •If you can find fresh black-eyed peas at the farmers market in summer, use them. Cook them with a ham hock until tender, then cool completely before making this salad. The difference between fresh and canned is like night and day.
• •For game day, double this recipe without hesitation. It vanishes faster than you think, and the leftovers only get better.
• •Swap the cilantro for flat-leaf parsley if you have folks who think cilantro tastes like soap. Some people can't help it; it's genetic.
• •Add a diced avocado just before serving for richness, but don't add it to the marinating bowl or it will turn to mush.
• •At Lagniappe, we sometimes fold in a quarter pound of diced tasso for a smoky, meaty punch that makes this a meal all on its own.

Advance Preparation

• •The dressing can be made up to one week ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Shake well before using.
• •The complete salad keeps refrigerated for up to five days and actually improves after the first day.
• •Bring to room temperature for fifteen minutes before serving for the best flavor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 190g)