Week 1: Black Eyed Peas

Growing up in Texas, it was traditional to eat black eyed peas on New Year's Day, which is likely where the concept for this blog / year of legumes grows from.  I remember my mother and grandmother making Rio Grande Black Eyed Peas most of my youth, specifically for our New Year's Day tradition.  Over the years I've adapted the recipe to suit my needs (including during my vegetarian & vegan years).  Sadly, I do not have a proper attribution for this recipe, although I can say with certainty it was via Texas...

Rio Grande Black Eyed Peas

Ingredients:

• oil (olive oil, PAM, etc)
• 2 medium onions
• 6-9 cloves minced garlic
• 2-10 dried hot peppers (to taste)
• 10 oz ground sausage (turkey works perfectly)
• 1 lb dried black eyed peas
• 2 cans crushed/diced/stewed tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 bay leaf
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste

Procedure:

1. Heat pot over medium high heat, adding PAM, or small amount of oil to coat bottom of the pan.
2. Add minced garlic and hot peppers to heated oil in skillet.  Cook a few minutes, to "release the flavors".  
3. Add onions and loose sausage.  Cook over medium heat until the sausage is cooked through.
4. Add peas and seasonings and water to cover by ~1 inch.  
5. Cook until peas are tender (length of time depends whether you soaked them overnight or not).  
6. Lastly, add tomatoes & their juice and cook for ~10 more minutes.

Notes:

• For a vegetarian version, I've used Boca "crumbles" and been thoroughly content with results.
• It is delicious served over cole slaw or rice.  
• Cornbread is another delightful accompaniment. 

Happy New Year!