Black-Eyed Pea Salad

African ingredients and flavors permeate southern cooking. Black-eyed peas, which actually are beans, arrived in the South with the slaves.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 2  cups  cooked black-eyed peas or   one 15 ounce can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
• 1 1⁄2 cups  chopped peeled tomatoes (about two tomatoes)
• 1  cup  cooked corn
• 1⁄4 cup  thinly sliced green onion
• 1  medium  jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1⁄4 cup  salad oil
• 2  tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2  tablespoons lemon juice
• 1  tablespoon fresh thyme
• 1  tablespoon dijon-style mustard
• 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

1. *can add collard greens if you choose.
2. In a large mixing bowl stir together black-eyed peas, tomatoes, corn, green onion, and jalapeno pepper.
3. Cover and chill for several hours.
4. For dressing, in a screw-top jar combine salad oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, thyme, mustard and pepper.
5. Cover and shake well.
6. Chill dressing for several hours.
7. Just before serving, shake dressing well; pour dressing over the vegetable mixture.
8. Toss gently to coat.
9. If desired, garnish with collard greens.