How to flavor and prepare Black-Eyed Peas
Black-eyed peas, also called cowpeas and cousins to the smaller field peas, probably came to the Americas via the slave trade. They had more use as animal feed before reaching the bipedal table. The beans themselves are beige in color, but have a black “eye” which gives them their name. You can buy them canned, fresh (frozen), or dried.
Although they’re more popular in the South, make these fiber-packed, potassium- and protein-rich peas unique to your own diet by spicing them up with your favorite flavors. As with many vegetables, they are neutral in flavor and easy to enhance with seasonings. In the South, people like to add the flavor of crispy crumbled bacon, along with red or green bell peppers, chopped onions, chili powder, and black pepper. To be authentic, you should use ham hocks (or a ham bone) or bacon to help flavor. It is the fat and salt of the pork that give it that special flavor.
There are many recipes for the famous Hoppin’ John dish served to celebrate a prosperous New Year. Here are some ideas and things to consider so you can experiment no matter the season. If you want to avoid salty canned peas and avoid pre-soaking, frozen is the way to go. Otherwise, try the easy-to-store dry variety.
If you buy dried peas, you can speed up the cooking time by using a pressure cooker. They can take one to one and a half hours to simmer on the stove (just like frozen peas) compared to ten to eleven minutes in the crock pot. Don’t forget to soak the dried peas overnight, but use fresh water before simmering. Cooked peas should be tender enough to mash with a fork. Check them after forty minutes as some have thinner skins than others and you don’t want musky peas.
Mix them with rice (half as much rice as peas) for a complete meal and serve with ham. Cook the rice separately fifteen minutes before adding it to the beans if it is simmering. Or you can cook the rice in a different pan while using a pressure cooker for the peas. Either way, let the combined rice and peas simmer and meld their flavors for an additional five minutes.
Other spices you can try with black-eyed peas are thyme, oregano, cayenne pepper, or red pepper flakes. Diced tomatoes and celery are often added. A Cajun or Creole spice blend is a great way to warm things up. Paprika or Liquid Smoke will give it that smoky flavor just like a tablespoon of molasses. Or add spices that you know you like, either for their flavor or nutritional value, like cinnamon or cloves.
Many spices are supposed to reduce gas, including bay leaves, thyme, cumin, ginger, caraway, and mint. Some swear that throwing a carrot in the pot will reduce side effects, others drink orange juice with food. If you eat beans often enough, your body creates the enzymes that aid in digestion and therefore reduce gas. The good news is that black-eyed beans are one of the least problematic vegetables when it comes to “gas production.”
Think of caritas beans as you would any bean and consider using them in salads, with Mexican dishes, in nachos, or in any hearty stew or chili. Who knows? Yours could be the winning entry in this summer’s chili cook-off.