Texas caviar salad with bacon, kale, deviled eggs, cornbread croutons

HOUSTON (FOX 26) - Lee Ellis, owner of a new restaurant called State Fare Kitchen & Bar, shared a nice surprise on FOX 26 Morning News Extra. He announced that his restaurant will participate in Houston Restaurant Weeks 2016, which benefits the Houston Food Bank in August. Restaurant partner, Jim Mills, demonstrated how to prepare Texas 'Caviar' kale salad with deviled eggs (with a secret ingredient!) and cornbread croutons.

Texas 'Caviar' with shaved kale and cilantro lime dressing (serves four)
State Fare Kitchen & Bar

Ingredients

• 2 cups Kale, sliced very thin
• 1 1/2 cups Black Eyed Peas, recipe follows
• 1/2 cup Sweet Red and Green Pepper, diced
• 1/2 cup Tomato, seeded and diced
• 1/3 cup Red Onion, peeled and diced
• 1/2 cup Corn Kernels, cooked on the cobb, cut and separated
• 1/3 cup Cilantro Lime Dressing, recipe follows
• 8 Deviled Eggs (recipe below)
• 1 1/2 cup cornbread croutons (recipe below)

Directions

1. Combine kale, black eyed peas, peppers, tomato, red onion, corn and cilantro lime dressing in a mixing bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Divide into piles in the center of four chilled salad plates.
3. Decorate around each with two deviled eggs and a sprinkling of cornbread croutons.

Black Eyed Peas

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Black Eyed peas, picked over and washed
• 3 cups Water
• 1/2 Onion, cut into 2 pieces
• 1/2 rib Celery, cut into 4 pieces
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper

Directions

1. Place peas in a pot with water. Let soak two hours.
2. Place pot over medium high heat, adding the onion, celery and bay leaf.
3. Bring to a slow boil and reduce heat to a very low boil. Let peas cook until tender yet firm.
4. Add salt and pepper, remove from heat and let stand 15 minutes.
5. Test doneness of peas -- they should be soft but not mushy.
6. Drain liquid and discard, chill peas until needed.

Cilantro Lime Dressing (makes 1 cup)

Ingredients

• 1 clove Garlic, peeled and chopped
• 1/4 cup Lime Juice, freshly squeezed
• 1/2 cup Cilantro, washed, drained and roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon Jalapeno, seeds and membrane removed, chopped
• 3/4 cup Olive Oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt

Directions

1. Place garlic, lime juice, cilantro and jalapeno in a blender jar. Place on base and with motor running slowly add olive oil in a thin stream.
2. Blend until smooth, adjusting the seasoning level with the salt.

Cornbread Croutons

Ingredients

• 1 small pan Cornbread, cooked
• Vegetable Oil Spray
• Salt and Pepper (if needed)

Directions

1. Use a favorite recipe, omitting sugar and adding salt and pepper. Alternately, use a mix though these often are fairly sweet.
2. Bake the cornbread in a shallow an, so that it is approximately 1 1/2 inches thick.
3. Bake according to recipe and allow to cool completely. Cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes.
4. Spray a baking sheet with vegetable oil spray. spread cornbread cubes, spraying them with vegetable oil spray.
5. Place in a 350 degree preheated oven and let bake 8 minutes.
6. Let cool a bit before use.

Deviled eggs (makes 8 servings)

Ingredients

• 4 Eggs, hard boiled and thoroughly chilled
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Mayonnaise
• 1/2 teaspoon Yellow Mustard, prepared
• 1/8 teaspoon Dry Mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon Pickle Juice from Bread 'n Butter Pickles
• 2 strips Bacon, cooked crisp, drained and cut crosswise into fourths
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

1. Split eggs lengthwise and separate yolks from the whites.
2. Place yolks in a small mixing bowl, adding the mayonnaise and yellow mustard. Use a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula to mix into a smooth paste. Add pickle juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. The white portions can be filled either by mounding the filling with a small spoon, dividing evenly among the eight halves or by placing the filling in a small pastry bag fitted with a star tip. when filled, stick a piece of bacon into each and chill until needed.