Southern Style Black-Eyed Peas
Adapted from Deborah Madison’s Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 onion ; diced
1 small green pepper, finely diced
1 celery rib, finely diced
3 bay leaves
3 tbsp fresh thyme
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground chipotle chile
2 cups fresh black-eyes peas, or 1 cup dried
1 quart water, or basic vegetable stock
salt
1. Heat the oil and better in a high-walled saucepan or soup pot. Sauté onion, pepper, celery, bay leaves, thyme and garlic over medium heat until starting to brown. Add allspice and chile powder and cook until fragrant.
2. Add the peas and water. Bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 40 minutes (for dried peas), partially uncovered.
3. Taste and add salt to taste (2 tsp are suggested). Cook another 20 minutes until peas are tender but not mushy. Serve with cornbread or rice to absorb the highly flavored broth.
