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recipecommunity2023-12-31 08:25 pm
ysabetwordsmith) wrote in recipecommunity2023-12-31 08:25 pm
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Recipe: "Crockpot African Black-Eyed Peas"
For New Year or Kwanzaa...
"Crockpot African Black-Eyed Peas"
Ingredients:
1/2 pound dried black-eyed peas (presoaked)
water
1 Maggi cube
1/2 sweet onion
1 tablespoon xawaash spice mix
11 ounces thick-cut applewood smoked bacon
1/4 cup dried moringa leaves
Directions:
The night before, empty the dried black-eyed peas into a wide bowl and pick over them to remove any rocks, chaff, and shriveled or discolored peas. Then cover the peas with water to soak overnight.
The next day, drain the black-eyed peas and put them in a crockpot. Cover them with water and drop in 1 Maggi cube. Turn the crockpot on High.
You DO NOT need to add salt separately. There is a little in the Maggi cube and plenty in the bacon. (If you use unsalted meat, taste and add salt if necessary.)
Chop half an onion. Scrape the onion bits into the crockpot.
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon xawaash spice mix over the black-eyed peas. Cover the crockpot and let it cook for about 2 hours.
Set 11 ounces thick-cut applewood smoked bacon on a cutting board. Use kitchen shears (or a knife) to cut the bacon into bite-sized pieces. Fluff them a little so they don't all stick together. Scrape the bacon bits into the crockpot. Cover and cook for about 2 hours more.
Everything will cook down to a thick slush, so make sure it doesn't burn. Periodically stir the contents and check the black-eyed peas by pressing them against the side of the crock. When they are soft enough to squish easily, turn the crockpot to Low. Add 1/4 cup dried moringa leaves. Stir to combine.
Wait about 10 minutes for the dried moringa leaves to soften and flavors to marry. Then taste the final result and adjust seasonings if necessary.
Serve in a bowl by itself, over rice or other grains, in a bread bowl, etc. This recipe makes about 4-6 servings.
Notes:
Plan B, Plan C, and Plan D: Did you forget to presoak the dried black-eyed peas? Plan B: Quick-soak the black-eyed peas in boiling water. Plan C: Use a pressure cooker to soften them faster. Check your appliance's cookbook for "dry bean" instructions. Plan D: Substitute canned black-eyed peas. Drain them, rinse them, and put them in the crockpot. Because they are already cooked, you only need to wait for the other ingredients to cook.
Black-eyed peas are legumes, small and pale with a dark spot; a subspecies of cowpea. (They're actually beans, despite the name.) They are extremely nutritious. They also grow in poor, dry soil which makes them a great choice for climate change. If you use a whole 1-pound bag, the recipe will double easily.
Maggi is a brand of stock seasoning available in cubes or granules. It actually comes in a variety of flavors based on ingredients and cultural preferences. It has become ubiquitous in African cooking. If you don't have any, chicken or vegetable bullion will work fine, or you can cook the black-eyed peas in broth.
Sweet onions have many health benefits. They add aromatic complexity to recipes but without the harsher flavor of hot onions.
Xawaash spice mix is an African curry powder made from whole spices that are toasted and then ground together. It is primarily cumin and coriander along with cinnamon, cardamom, clove, and black pepper; turmeric powder gets mixed in last. It works very well in bean or tomato dishes.
I used thick-cut applewood smoked bacon, and half of a 22 ounce package, which is somewhat less than a pound (16 ounces). Use any flavor of bacon you like, but smoky is good, and thick-cut better than thin-cut. You could also use smoked ham hocks or neck bones, the fatty skin from a holiday ham, diced ham, or other pork. If you don't want to use pork, try a different type of bacon such as turkey or duck. Jerky is another option.
Dried moringa leaves leaves have many benefits. The flavor is subtle yet distinctive -- earthy, leafy, and kind of primal. They go well with beans, though I first used them in a green omelette. This African tree produces many useful parts. We got some from our favorite African grocery store, which stocks a lot of imports. You can also look in an international food store or shop online.
Black-eyed peas with some sort of greens are customarily served for New Year's Eve and/or New Year's Day. The African aspects make this dish well suited to Kwanzaa too. This recipe turned out fantastic -- rich and thick, with a complex earthy, primal taste that is comforting on a cold day. (Plus your house smells like African curry all day.) I put mine over brown rice, but it also works well alone or with bread.
"Crockpot African Black-Eyed Peas"
Ingredients:
1/2 pound dried black-eyed peas (presoaked)
water
1 Maggi cube
1/2 sweet onion
1 tablespoon xawaash spice mix
11 ounces thick-cut applewood smoked bacon
1/4 cup dried moringa leaves
Directions:
The night before, empty the dried black-eyed peas into a wide bowl and pick over them to remove any rocks, chaff, and shriveled or discolored peas. Then cover the peas with water to soak overnight.
The next day, drain the black-eyed peas and put them in a crockpot. Cover them with water and drop in 1 Maggi cube. Turn the crockpot on High.
You DO NOT need to add salt separately. There is a little in the Maggi cube and plenty in the bacon. (If you use unsalted meat, taste and add salt if necessary.)
Chop half an onion. Scrape the onion bits into the crockpot.
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon xawaash spice mix over the black-eyed peas. Cover the crockpot and let it cook for about 2 hours.
Set 11 ounces thick-cut applewood smoked bacon on a cutting board. Use kitchen shears (or a knife) to cut the bacon into bite-sized pieces. Fluff them a little so they don't all stick together. Scrape the bacon bits into the crockpot. Cover and cook for about 2 hours more.
Everything will cook down to a thick slush, so make sure it doesn't burn. Periodically stir the contents and check the black-eyed peas by pressing them against the side of the crock. When they are soft enough to squish easily, turn the crockpot to Low. Add 1/4 cup dried moringa leaves. Stir to combine.
Wait about 10 minutes for the dried moringa leaves to soften and flavors to marry. Then taste the final result and adjust seasonings if necessary.
Serve in a bowl by itself, over rice or other grains, in a bread bowl, etc. This recipe makes about 4-6 servings.
Notes:
Plan B, Plan C, and Plan D: Did you forget to presoak the dried black-eyed peas? Plan B: Quick-soak the black-eyed peas in boiling water. Plan C: Use a pressure cooker to soften them faster. Check your appliance's cookbook for "dry bean" instructions. Plan D: Substitute canned black-eyed peas. Drain them, rinse them, and put them in the crockpot. Because they are already cooked, you only need to wait for the other ingredients to cook.
Black-eyed peas are legumes, small and pale with a dark spot; a subspecies of cowpea. (They're actually beans, despite the name.) They are extremely nutritious. They also grow in poor, dry soil which makes them a great choice for climate change. If you use a whole 1-pound bag, the recipe will double easily.
Maggi is a brand of stock seasoning available in cubes or granules. It actually comes in a variety of flavors based on ingredients and cultural preferences. It has become ubiquitous in African cooking. If you don't have any, chicken or vegetable bullion will work fine, or you can cook the black-eyed peas in broth.
Sweet onions have many health benefits. They add aromatic complexity to recipes but without the harsher flavor of hot onions.
Xawaash spice mix is an African curry powder made from whole spices that are toasted and then ground together. It is primarily cumin and coriander along with cinnamon, cardamom, clove, and black pepper; turmeric powder gets mixed in last. It works very well in bean or tomato dishes.
I used thick-cut applewood smoked bacon, and half of a 22 ounce package, which is somewhat less than a pound (16 ounces). Use any flavor of bacon you like, but smoky is good, and thick-cut better than thin-cut. You could also use smoked ham hocks or neck bones, the fatty skin from a holiday ham, diced ham, or other pork. If you don't want to use pork, try a different type of bacon such as turkey or duck. Jerky is another option.
Dried moringa leaves leaves have many benefits. The flavor is subtle yet distinctive -- earthy, leafy, and kind of primal. They go well with beans, though I first used them in a green omelette. This African tree produces many useful parts. We got some from our favorite African grocery store, which stocks a lot of imports. You can also look in an international food store or shop online.
Black-eyed peas with some sort of greens are customarily served for New Year's Eve and/or New Year's Day. The African aspects make this dish well suited to Kwanzaa too. This recipe turned out fantastic -- rich and thick, with a complex earthy, primal taste that is comforting on a cold day. (Plus your house smells like African curry all day.) I put mine over brown rice, but it also works well alone or with bread.