Black-Eyed Pea Salad
Late! Late by 21 days, or 2 months! I’ll let you be the judge. These are my New Years Day black eyed peas, because like any true Southern Girl, I have my hoppin john and my greens a stewin’ early New Years Day. The hoppin’ john was actually this gorgeous black eyed pea salad, because the truth of it is that I don’t really care for black eyed peas, but if they are dressed up with lots of herbs and spices they shine in a new way.
I can’t say that I have stuck with this tradition throughout the years, I go back and forth between the Italian tradition of lentils and the traditions from my south. After a lovely Christmas vacation in my home city of Atlanta my southern roots needed to bring a little warmth to this dark and damp part of the world.
Black-Eyed Pea Salad
from the New York Times
- 1 cup black-eyed peas, rinsed and picked over
- 3 large garlic cloves, 2 of them crushed and left in the skin, 1 of them minced
- ½ onion, intact
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt to taste
- 2 medium tomatoes, in season only, diced
- 1 medium fennel bulb (about 1/2 pound), trimmed, quartered, cored and sliced very thin across the grain
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, lightly toasted and ground
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- ⅓ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh dill
- ⅓ cup chopped chives
- 2 ounces feta, crumbled
Place the black-eyed peas, whole crushed garlic cloves, halved onion and bay leaf in a large, heavy saucepan and add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, add salt to taste, reduce the heat, cover and simmer until tender but intact, about 45 minutes. Remove from the heat, remove the lid and allow the black-eyed peas to cool for 30 minutes. Remove and discard the onion. Remove the garlic cloves, squeeze the cooked garlic out of the skins and back into the black-eyed peas, and drain through a strainer set over a bowl.
Transfer the black-eyed peas to a large bowl. Whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, minced garlic, cumin, salt, pepper and olive oil. Toss with the beans. Add the remaining ingredients except the feta and toss together. If you want a bit more liquid with the beans, add back some of the broth (I found the dressing to be sufficient). Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving. Sprinkle the feta over the top and serve.
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Two Years Ago: Merano / Meran, Alto Adige / Südtirol, Marketing for our Christmas Feasts, Panettone Gastronomico & Pollo alla Cacciatora
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Five Years Ago: Cappuccino Cheesecake, Sweet Potato, Pumpkin and Apple Puree, Turkey Tetrizzini, Brasato alla Birra, Torta di Riso e Zucchine, Risotto ai Funghi Porcini, Spaghetti With Roasted Cauliflower, Tomatoes and Olives, Stuffed Acorn Squash, Risotto with Pumpkin and Olives, Lentil Stew With Pumpkin, Zuppa di Pesce, Farfalle with Portobello Mushrooms and Arugula & Herb Crusted Pork Loin,
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Seven Years Ago: Roasted Cauliflower, Raisins and Anchovy Vinaigrette, La Sicilia I, La Sicilia II, La Sicilia III, Fusilli with Swordfish and Pistachios, Salsicce sulla Pietra Ollare, Sfogliatella, Cotolleta alla Milanese, Polpo alla Luciana, Calamarata with Octopus Heads and Clams, Ligurian Shop Windows, Puntarelle, Ristorante in Lavagna, Spaghetti with Calamari and Artichokes, Cornetto Salato with Prosciutto di San Daniele, Panettone, Alici Fritti, Roasted Fennel Gratin, Zucchini Quiche & Polpo Affogato
Italicious 