Joe Ely's Black-eyed Pea Recipe

[hippywife]

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=101823249#102082451

Joe Ely's Black-Eyed Peas

NPR.org, March 18, 2009 ·

1 pound dried black-eyed peas or other beans

1/2 pound thick-sliced smoked bacon, cut into ¼-inch wide pieces

1 medium onion, cut into small dice

2 ribs celery, cut into small dice

1/2 red bell pepper, cut into small dice

1/2 green bell pepper, cut into small dice

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 to 3 teaspoons salt, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Olive oil and wine vinegar (optional)

Pick through the beans to discard any pebbles or other debris. Rinse the beans well. Soak in plenty of water to cover for at least four hours or overnight. Drain the beans and set aside.

In a heavy pot, fry the bacon over medium-high heat until it browns, about 10 minutes. Stir in the onion, celery, bell peppers, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften but still have some crispness, about 5 minutes. Scoop out half the mixture and set aside (refrigerate if you're not planning to serve the beans as soon as they're cooked.)

Add the beans to the remaining vegetables in the pot and enough water to cover by 1 inch (6 to 8 cups). Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat so the beans slowly simmer. Do not cover the pot. Start testing after 20 minutes, though they may take as long as one hour. When the beans start to feel soft, stir in the salt and pepper. Stir the beans occasionally as they cook; they're done when just tender, but not much. (Note: For a thick bean broth, puree 1/2 to 1 cup of the beans and return them to the pot.)

Ladle the beans, with some of their liquid, into bowls or cups. Spoon on some of the reserved bacon mixture (reheat if necessary in skillet or microwave). For extra flavor, drizzle with olive oil and a splash of vinegar to taste.


Love me some Joe Ely. Rowwwrrrrr! ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttmdIJ8Shug

[Lucinda]

1. Thankie ma'am. I love black eyed peas.

This looks really yummy.

[hippywife]

3. It really does.

And I just got some smoked jowl from one of my favorite coop producers that will work just fine in this. :9

I'm probably going to halve the recipe, this is way too much for us to consume.

What? No love for Joe?

[Lucinda]

5. I'm very pro Joe's in general.

The smoked jowl should be really good.

[troubleinwinter]

6. Smoked jowl sounds really good.

I have never heard of it... pork, I assume.

At Christmas, our family must have dried chestnuts cooked with smoked ham hocks. A tradition from my Swiss great-grandmother (the Swiss must have stolen this one from the northern Italians). The dried chestnuts are difficult to get. They are usually only available in Jan. and for a coupla months, from Italy.

Would you tell something about the jowl... compare to bacon or hocks?

[hippywife]

7. I've not eaten it yet.

But according to the coop producer who provided it, it is just like bacon. Cured the same and everything. Just from a different part of the peeg.

[troubleinwinter]

8. Well, it still sounds good! Let us know.

[MagickMuffin]

2. I've been making Black Eyed Pea Soups lately

I use frozen Peas with Snaps (ummm :loveya: those Snaps) after they have almost finished cooking I add a can of tomatoes, and I also add the normal seasonings S&P, garlic powder, lemon pepper. I also chop up some bell peppers and onions to add on top to give the soup some crunchiness. I serve this with cornbread.

Joe's recipe sounds really good, but of course I'd have to omit the bacon.

I have some in the freezer, hmmmm maybe have to cook me up a pot tomorrow. BEP's are very high in fiber, and delicious.

[NMDemDist2]

4. doneness test for most beans (except BEP and lentils)

blow gently on the bean, they are done when the skin splits from breath

[hippywife]

9. This did turn out very good.

I had to modify it, of course. I didn't have a green pepper or any celery, but I did have about six mini yellow and red peppers. I also didn't reserve half of the bacon/veggie mixture for serving time but added it back in when I turned the soup down to simmer. Added 2 1/2 t. of veggie Better than Bullion and some celery seed. The smoke jowl bacon worked very well for this, too.

I am so not a bean person, or wasn't until here recently. And I really, really like this. We're just having it tonight (tomorrow is fried chicken night) and will be having it with the leftover cornbread in our lunches this week.

:9