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Related Cooking Notes

Black Eyed Pea Stew

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Black Eyed Peas, cleaned and rinsed

  • cook

    • 1/4 lb (4 or 5 pieces) bacon, chopped into squares

  • saute

    • 2 stalks celery, chopped

    • 2 medium white onion, chopped

    • 2 small carrots, peeled and chopped

    • 2-3 cloves garlic, mashed

  • add

    • 1 bay leaf

    • 1 tbsp salt

  • cook

    • 1/2 cup whole canned tomatoes with some juice, roughly chopped

    • 2 tsp tomato paste

Directions

  1. If cooking on the stove, soak the beans for 2 hours, covered by about 2 inches of water.

  2. In a pot, gently cook the bacon on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it’s just done (about 10 minutes). With a slotted spoon, remove the bacon pieces and let them rest on a paper towel.

  3. In the remaining bacon fat, saute the celery, onion, and carrot on medium heat until soft, stirring occasionally (about 15 minutes). Add the garlic and cook for one more minute.

  4. Cook beans

    • If cooking on the stove, add the beans and the soaking water. Add additional water until there is an inch of water above the beans. Stir, add the bay leaf and then raise the heat to high and bring the contents to a rapid boil. Keep boiling, partially covered, for 15 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon salt and adjust the water so that the peas are again covered by about an inch. Reduce to a gentle simmer until the peas are soft, about 35 minutes.

    • If using a pressure cooker, add the beans and soaking water. Add additional water until the beans are just covered. Stir, add the bay leaf and salt. Cook on high pressure for 10-15 minutes, on high pressure, with a natural release. (If the beans are soaked, cook for 4-5 minutes.)

  5. Remove the bay leaf and discard. Add the tomatoes and the tomato paste. Stir and then gently heat through, about 15 minutes on medium heat.

  6. Add pepper to taste and the reserved bacon pieces. Adjust seasonings and serve.

References

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