The Remarkable Black-Eyed Pea

Black Eyed-Pea Stew

By Sidonie Maroon

Black-eyed peas weren’t part of my childhood, not even on New Year’s Day. In my thirties I made black-eyed pea stew with ham hocks — it was a favorite, but that was it. Then, when I taught world cooking, black-eyed peas popped up in recipes from Africa to Greece. My world opened. Black-eyed peas, bringers of good fortune, symbolize what happens when I allow something new in, and integrate an ingredient into my life.

How to cook black-eyed peas

1 cup dried peas makes 2 cups cooked peas

Stove top

Soak 1 cup or more black-eyed peas in water, covering them by 2 inches, overnight. The next day, drain and rinse. In a pot, cover with fresh water by 2 inches and add 1 teaspoon sea salt. Bring to a boil, then turn to a low simmer and cook, until tender but firm, 30 to 40 minutes. If you use a lid, keep it askew.

Slow Cooker

Soak 1 cup or more black-eyed peas overnight. Drain. Cover with fresh water by 3 inches in a pot, and bring to a boil. Add beans plus 1 teaspoon sea salt, and whatever spices you are using to the slow cooker. Set for four hours.

Instant Pot

No need to soak! Rinse 1 cup or more black-eyed peas. Add to the Instant Pot with 1 teaspoon sea salt and water to cover by 2 inches. Set to high pressure for 15 minutes with a 15 minute natural release. For firmer salad beans, try 12 to 13 minutes at high pressure.      

From Fritters to Salads, Stews and One Pot Wonders

Try black-eyed peas as a dip—mash with olive oil, garlic, salt and lemon. Sprinkle toasted walnuts over the top. How about fritters? Look into Senegalese accara. Precooked beans make tasty salads, curries, one-pot meals, and if you try different flavor ways, you won’t get bored.    

World Flavor Combos

Africa—tomatoes, chili peppers, black pepper, onions, garlic, oil

Greece—lemon, oregano, olive oil, garlic, onion, chard or other hardy greens

Dill, fennel, feta, wine vinegar, red onions, tomatoes, walnuts 

India—onion, garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, turmeric, allspice, cilantro, coconut milk, lime, tomato, summer squash, hardy greens

Indonesia—spicy with red curry

Portugal—cod, tuna and potatoes

American South—cured pork, spices, rice, greens, green peppers, vinegar

Brazil—shrimp, hot sauce, tomatoes, rice, coconut milk

Vietnam—sticky rice, coconut

Fears of Flatulence? 

After all, it is one of the musical fruits, right? If your system isn’t used to legumes, they can cause gas, but only until you’ve gained the beneficial microflora in your gut. Legumes are full of prebiotic fiber, which your microbiome needs to feed its thriving billions. The more beans you eat, the less trouble you’ll have. Believe me, it’s true. Meanwhile, eat alone, outside or with close friends.  

One Healthy Bean

One cup of cooked black-eyed peas contains 160 calories, 5.2 grams of protein, 8.2 grams fiber. 52% of your daily requirements for folate, 26% vitamin A, 22% magnesium, 21% calcium, 19% potassium and the list goes on…. All the fiber helps keep you regular and improves digestion. The iron, folate and B vitamins help prevent anemia. Potassium helps with blood pressure, and the vitamin A is glorious for your eyes and skin.

Citrus Spiced Black-eyed Pea Stew

Instant Pot

Makes 6 cups

A warm golden curry spiced stew with Caribbean flavors. The beauty of this stew is how easily it comes together with little hands-on cooking time. The legumes cook in the Instant Pot while the vegetables roast in the oven, and they’re both done at about the same time. A quick thickening sauce is made in the blender, and the tomatoes are added to the pot. It’s served with lime and cilantro with orange segments on the side.  

For the black-eyed peas: Add ingredients to the Instant Pot and set for 15 minutes at high pressure with a 15 minute natural release. Drain and reserve the chili pepper for the sauce.  

1 cup dry black-eyed peas, rinsed

3 cups water

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 dried pasilla chili

For the Roasted Veggies: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 425 F. Measure and grind the spices together in a spice grinder. Lay veggies on the sheet pan and rub with oil and spice mix. Roast for 30 minutes, checking at 15 minutes. Add the roasted vegetables to the drained black-eyed peas, with the diced tomatoes. 

1 large yellow onion, chopped

2 medium carrots, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced or 2 teaspoons dried 

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons oil

All the spice mix:

2 teaspoons powdered turmeric

2 teaspoons whole coriander seed

2 teaspoons whole cumin seed

1 teaspoon powdered ginger

5 allspice berries

½ teaspoon grated nutmeg

½ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon decorticated cardamom

Other

14-ounce can of diced tomatoes, unsalted or decrease overall salt

For the sauce: add all the sauce ingredients to a high-powered blender, including the reserved chili with the top removed. Blend until smooth and add to the stew.  

1 ½ cups water

½ cup raw cashews or peanuts

Chili pepper from cooked black-eyed peas, discard the top

1 teaspoon fish sauce (optional)

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Zest from an orange, about 2 teaspoons

Finishing and serving: Stir the stew together, taste and correct as needed. Remembering to add lime at the table. Heat as much as you’ll eat and refrigerate the rest. Serve hot with garnishes at the table. 

Garnishes

Chopped cilantro or parsley

Lime wedges to squeeze

Chopped navel orange

Black-Eyed Peas Mashed with Garlic Sauce from Limnos

Mavromatika Skordalia, Greek

Ingredients

1 cup dried black-eyed peas picked over and soaked overnight

1 teaspoon sea salt

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

1 head roasted garlic

⅔ cup olive oil, as needed

2-4 tablespoons apple cider or white wine vinegar, to taste

Directions

1)     Soak black-eyed peas overnight and rinse. In a pot, cover them with fresh water by two inches. Bring to a boil. When white foam forms on the top of the pot, drain the peas, rinse and cover again with 2 inches of fresh water. Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer and let cook until beans are soft about 40 minutes. (This extra step of boiling, rinsing twice is unique to black-eyed peas. If you don’t take this extra step they will cook in mucky brown water. It’s worth the trouble because black-eyed peas are so delicious.)

2)     Roast a head of garlic by cutting off the top of the head and rubbing it in olive oil. Wrap the head in parchment paper and roast in an oven, toaster oven, or slow cooker. The garlic should squeeze when it’s completely roasted. I like to put some potatoes and beets and the head of garlic in a slow cooker, wrapped in parchment, and set on high for 4 hours. We eat the potatoes and beets with the skordalia.

3)     Make skordalia using a large mortar and pestle or food processor. Food processor instructions: Add garlic, salt, lemon and vinegar. While the machine is running add the olive oil in a thin stream until emulsified.

4)     Add cooked beans, pulse or mash  to a semi puree. You should be able to see some whole beans in the dish. It should look like mashed potatoes. Taste and correct with more salt, olive oil or vinegar as needed

Serve Warm  

Coconut ginger chili black-eyed pea stew

Slow cooker

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 cup soaked black-eyed peas

2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

3 tablespoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon powdered turmeric

3/4 teaspoon sea salt

2 New Mexican chili pods

1 can coconut milk (13.5 fluid ounces)

two medium potatoes cut in a small dice

1 cup water

Finishing ingredients:

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

½ cup water for chili sauce

Directions

1)     Soak black-eyed peas in water overnight. Drain and bring black-eyed peas to a boil on the stove in 2 cups of fresh water. Skim off any scum when they come to a boil.

2)     Add ginger, garlic, turmeric, chili pod, sea salt, and coconut milk to the crockpot with the boiling black-eyed peas. Set the crockpot on high for 4 hours.

3)     When black eyed peas are done they should taste creamy; not mushy. Take out the chilies and puree in ½ cup water, strain out the skins and seeds through a food mill or sieve, and then add the chili sauce back into the stew. Correct the seasoning by adding approximately 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar.

Black-eyed pea Texas Caviar

Serves 6

Ingredients

4 cups home cooked salted black-eyed peas

1/2 sweet onion, finely chopped

3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup rice vinegar

Juice of one lemon

3 cloves garlic, minced fine

1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger

One 14 ounce can organic diced tomato or fresh in season

½ cup mild green chilies

2 teaspoons pickled jalapeno chopped fine

1 ½ teaspoons salt ( one teaspoon cooked with black-eyed peas and ½ teaspoon when you correct the seasoning.

2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon unprocessed cane sugar

Serve with tortilla chips or tortillas and cheese

Directions

1)     Combine the black-eyed peas, onions, parsley, vinegar, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, chilies, and jalapeno in a bowl. Season with salt and sugar. Refrigerate at least 3 hours and up to 24 hours. Great with chips, on griddled tortillas with melted cheese, or as a side salad.

How to home cook on the stove top black-eyed peas

1 cup dried peas makes 2 cups cooked peas

1)     Soak 1 to 2 cups black-eyed peas in water overnight. The water should cover the peas by about 2 inches. Next day: drain and rinse peas and look for any rocks or debris. Put the black-eyed peas in a medium pot with 2 inches of water covering them. Bring them up to a boil on medium heat. When they come to the boil, pour off water, put in new water and bring to a boil again. Turn heat to a simmer, and continue to cook until tender, about 40 minutes.

Black-eyed pea and Mushroom Curry

Makes 2 quarts

Ingredients

2 cups dried black-eyed peas soaked overnight then rinsed

Freshwater for cooking peas to cover by 2 inches

Saute

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 large onions cut into a small dice

1/2  pound sliced mushrooms

1 whole head of garlic peeled and finely minced

Spices

2 teaspoons coriander seeds

2 teaspoons toasted cumin seed

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns

1 teaspoon turmeric

Finishing

One 28 ounce can diced tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Sea salt to taste

Directions

1)     Cook black-eyed peas with garlic, 2 teaspoons sea salt until tender for about one hour. (Refer to how to stovetop cook peas)

2)     Toast whole cumin

3)     Measure and grind spices, in a spice grinder

4)     Sauté onions in butter on medium heat for 15 minutes. Add sliced mushrooms and sauté for 10 minutes more. Add tomatoes and spice mix. Add drained black eyed peas to the saute. Stir and simmer until hot.

5)     Correct seasoning. Adding more salt if needed and 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar. Serve garnished with cilantro.

Cook's note: Black-eyed peas can be precooked and added to the curry to make a quick meal