Cowboy Caviar

 

I love summer for many reasons?not the least of which is that it simplifies entertaining.

 

In winter I feel that my guests must be rewarded for schlepping through the snow with warm, solid food and a relatively clean house.

 

In summer I feel no such obligation. The weather and the sparkling conversation are my friends? rewards for coming to visit of an evening.

 

I tend to specialize in two types of summer evening parties. One is a dessert party, usually a sundae party. Guests help themselves to ice cream with a variety of toppings and chat as they juggle dishes, spoons, and smiles.

 

The other is a cocktail party. I adorn the deck with a table topped with glasses plus wine, beer, liquor, ice, and soft drinks. (Fresh flowers help, too.) And I serve simple yet tasty appetizers.

 

I don?t even have to clean the house before these parties because my guests won?t be inside!

 

Even if you don?t entertain a lot, I suggest you try throwing a cocktail party?or even just a wine/beer party?or even just a lemonade party! Offer your guests something cool to drink and a light snack; then sit back and enjoy the long summer evening.

 

The appetizer recipe below comes from my friend Teri Tynes, a dyed in the wool Texan who now lives and writes in New York City.

 

Teri makes her caviar look a lot prettier than mine by chopping everything up finely and arranging the dish artistically. Last time I made it I was in a hurry so my chopping was rough and my arrangement (pictured above) was ? well, let?s just say it was free form.  

My guests loved the caviar anyway. In fact, my neighbor Alice took home the leftovers and ate them for lunch the next day.

 

 

Ingredients:

 

1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

4 ounces ripe olives, drained and chopped (feel free to use more; I usually throw in the whole can!)

1 small onion, chopped fine

1 large clove garlic, pressed or minced

2 tablespoons olive or canola oil

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 pinches of salt

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

4 to 5 shakes of hot sauce

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1 pinch of pepper

1 8-ounce package cream cheese?regular or light–softened

2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped

1 scallion, sliced

 

Instructions:

 

In a bowl combine all the ingredients except for the cream cheese, eggs, and scallion. Cover the mixture and let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. When you are ready to serve your caviar spread the cream cheese over the surface of a circular serving dish. Spread the bean mixture on top of it. 

Arrange the egg pieces in a ring around the edge of the plate (the effect is sort of that of a wreath). Sprinkle the chopped scallion overall. Serve with crackers or tortilla chips. Serves 8 to 12, depending on what else is on the table.