Recipe: Carolina Caviar

Chef Jill Aker-Ray joins Charlotte Today WCNC/NBC Charlotte and serves up a perfect option for the dog days of summer. You can make this delicious salad and enjoy it as a snack with tortilla chips, topped with rotisserie chicken or tuna. You can also have it as a lettuce wrap. No oven required! Here is Chef Jill Aker-Ray with her No Cook Recipe: Carolina Caviar.

Ingredients 

• 1 can Black-eyed peas-drained

• 1 cup Celery-diced

• ¼ cup fresh cilantro or parsley

• 1 can sweet Corn or 3 ears fresh

• 1/2 pint grape tomatoes -quartered

• 1/2 Green pepper-diced

• 1/2 Red pepper-diced

• 1 Small sweet onion

• 1 can Pinto beans-drained

• 1 can Black beans- drained

• 1 jalapeño -minced and seeded

• ½ teaspoon pepper

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1½ C Zesty Italian Dressing. (Homemade recipe below)

Mix and ingredients thoroughly and add dressing to blend as you like. Tastes better after marinating a few hours.

DRESSING:

• 2 TBSP Italian seasoning

• 1 tsp red pepper flakes

• ¼ cup parmesan cheese

• 1-1 ½ cups olive oil

• ½ cup red wine vinegar

Place all ingredients in a mason jar, seal tightly and shake vigorously. Shake before serving. Keeps for 7 days refrigerated.