Eating a heaping bowl of this humble food is so common that many will eat 365 beans, one for luck each day in the New Year.

Black Eyed Peas

Yes, these “peas” are actually beans. You’ll love these beans, they have a great flavor and they cook in just a few minutes, rather than the long soaking & cooking times of larger beans like red kidneys, pinto and others.
Author: Chef Frank Schuchman

Ingredients

  • About 2 cups of beans
  • For Sauce:
  • 6-7 strips bacon cooked extra crispy crumbled
  • 1/2 cup diced onions
  • 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
  • 1-2 cloves of fresh garlic chopped
  • For stock:
  • 1 1/2 - 2 cups beef stock
  • 1 TBL corn starch
  • Seasonings:
  • 1 TBL fresh chopped Parsley
  • 1 tsp dried Oregano
  • 1/2 tsp light brown sugar
  • Pinch of crushed hot chili pepper flakes

Instructions

  • To prepare any dried beans:
  • They need to be sorted, use a white piece of paper, dump some out into a single layer and look for funky beans, dirt, stones, etc. Then wash & rinse under cold running water 2-3 times. For larger beans like kidney and others, you can soak them in cold water up to 24 hour ahead, this will help them cook faster the next day. (always drain and rinse the ‘old’ water off the beans before cooking)
  • Black Eyed Peas – about 2 cups beans with enough water to just cover them, they will only take 15-20 minutes!
  • Bring to a rolling boil
  • Then drop to a simmer, uncovered until soft.
  • Add water as needed.
  • The Sauce: for about 4 cups of cooked beans
  • Sauté the sauce ingredients above in the bacon drippings until lightly brown. Ok, ok, if you really don’t want the bacon, just cook the veggies in a little veggie oil.
  • Beef Stock – boil, take off heat
  • Add corn starch to thicken
  • Bring to a low simmer until the stock is thick and clear
  • Add: Seasonings
  • Stir, low simmer for 5 minutes add the cooked beans and stir.
  • Serve the black eyed peas immediately over your rice (others will cook or mix them together, I prefer the taste of the individual components).

Notes

Both rice and beans can be kept in the fridge for 3-4 days – and they do freeze well. But these are so easy to make, just make small batches and enjoy them freshly prepared.