Or….”For the love of all things good in this world…Eat your Peas, Eat your Greens, Eat for Good Luck and Health, and Get Vaccinated, Please”
Regardless of what is happening in this crazy world…I cook Black-Eyed Peas for New Years…it is one of favorite food traditions I have managed to keep going over the years come rain or shine, health or sickness, hell or high water.
This year has been so challenging on many fronts. This December, just when we thought we could come in from the cold… being vaccinated and boosted created a illusion of safety…..still wearing our masks when out in the world we just felt better about life in general…maybe we could loosen up a little? There are those of us who believe in science as well as a few fun and harmless cultural myths….eating black-eyed peas to bring us good luck for the New Year is one of the later. In the name of science please, if you have not, get vaccinated and boosted. In the name of a delicious cultural myth cook some black-eyed peas for good luck for 2022…we are all going to need it.
This recipe is a riff on one published in Bon Appetit magazine in December 2020. I made a few changes, but all around this is a delicious bowl of black-eyed peas over rice with some healthy greens, a bit of bone broth and lots of fresh limes for finishing.
A beautiful bunch of fresh lacinato kale ready to be trimmed and chopped. If you cannot find lacinato, then use whatever fresh kale that is available. You can use fresh, dried or frozen black-eyed peas, or as the original recipe called for, canned. I prefer the first choices as canned peas can get mushy pretty quickly.
Good Luck to you in all your endeavors in 2022. Be well, be safe, be kind. Teresa.
Black-Eyed Peas with Lacinato Kale, Jasmine Rice and Sour Cherry Sauce
Ingredients:
- 4 cups of cooked black-eyed peas (Soak dried or frozen peas in just enough water to cover for 2 hrs. Drain. Cook peas in a pot of salted water, simmering just until peas begin to soften and are not mushy. Drain. If using canned, then rinse and drain before using.) Set aside after cooking until ready to add to pan with other ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 cup finely chopped onion, white or yellow
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 2 1/2 tablespoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
- One 14.5 can crushed tomatoes
- 1 bunch of lacinato (or other) kale, trimmed and torn into bite-size pieces
- 1 cup of chicken bone broth/or regular chicken or vegetable broth
- 1″ piece of fresh ginger, minced
- Cooked Jasmine rice for serving
- a loaf of crusty bread, sour dough or other
- lots of fresh lime wedges
- Sour Cherry preserves or jam slightly thinned with a bit of water to make a sauce
- kosher salt to taste and freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, stirring often, until light golden brown.
- Add coriander, turmeric, garam masala and cayenne, stirring to mix well.
- Add crushed tomatoes and bring to a simmer, stirring every now and then, cooking just until mixture starts to darken and thickens a bit…about 12 minutes.
- To pan add cooked black-eyed peas and a generous pinch of kosher salt. Pour in broth and 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, turn to simmer. Add in kale in bunches, stirring down into broth. Cook another 15 minutes on simmer, until black-eyed peas are and kale are tender. Remove pan from heat and stir in minced ginger.
- Serve in bowls over hot jasmine rice with fresh lime wedges to squeeze over all to really brighten flavors, crusty bread for sopping juices, and a dollop of sour cherry sauce to round it all out. Ice cold beer is a good accompaniment.
This recipe is based on one from Bon Appetit Magazine from December 2020 with changes respectfully made by me.
teresablackburnfoodstyling.com