Black-Eyed Peas

Season: Summer
Storage: Store dried beans in an airtight container, away from light.
Alternate names: cowpeas, southern peas

Fun Facts: Black-eyed peas are very popular, especially in southern cuisine. Normally black-eyed peas get the pairing with pork but these little beans are great from a vegetarian standpoint.

Get local black-eyed peas by joining our Farm Share or shopping at farmer’s markets, then share your favorite preparations through our Facebook page.

Carla Hall’s Black-Eyed Pea Salad with Hot Sauce Vinaigrette

Recipe from thekitchn

Ingredients

  • 2 garlic cloves, grated on a Microplane

  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon yellow mustard

  • 1 tablespoon hot sauce

  • 1 teaspoon honey

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 6 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 1 (15-ounce) can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained

  • 2 mini cucumbers, cut into 1/2-inch dice

  • 1/2 sweet onion, finely chopped

  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, halved

  • 1/4 cup picked fresh dill

Instructions

  • Whisk the garlic, vinegar, mustard, hot sauce, honey, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl until smooth. While whisking, add the oil in a slow, steady stream. Whisk until emulsified.

  • Add the peas, cucumbers, onion, tomatoes, dill, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Toss until well mixed. You can serve this right away or let it sit at room temperature for up to 1 hour.

Note: The salad can be refrigerated for up to 1 day.

Black-Eyed Pea Stew

Recipe from thekitchn

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or lard

  • 1 1/2 cups chopped onions

  • 1 1/4 pounds smoked ham hocks or hot Italian sausage

  • 2 teaspoons chopped garlic

  • 1 (14-ounce) can crushed or diced tomatoes

  • 1 quart chicken stock

  • 1 pound dried black-eyed peas

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Instructions

  • In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat until a bit of onion sizzles at once. Add the onions and cook until they are fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the ham hocks and garlic, turn the heat to medium, and cook for 5 minutes more, stirring often so the onions soften and wilt without much browning.

  • Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes more. Add the stock, black-eyed peas, and 3 cups water. Increase the heat to bring everything to a boil, and stir well. Add the salt and pepper and adjust the heat to maintain a lively simmer.

  • Cover partially and cook, stirring now and then, until the peas are tender, about 2 hours. Remove the ham hocks and set them out on a plate until they are cool enough to handle. Remove the meat, chop it finely, and return it to the pot. Stir well. Serve the stew hot or warm.

Note: Use cooked canned or frozen black-eyed peas instead of dried peas for this stew. One pound dried beans equals about 6 cups cooked beans.

For canned beans, rinse them gently but well before adding to the pot in step 2. For frozen, add them directly to the pot in step 2; no need to thaw them first. Reduce the cooking time to about 45 minutes and then continue with the recipe.

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