Happy 2015!
I’m eating the last of my tasty & lucky Black-Eyed Peas with Sausage and I’m doing my best to be virtuous at the start of a new year. But it’s not as easy as just switching out all the cheese and yummy leftovers in my fridge for leafy greens. That’s why I’m chowing down of the last of the comfort food. This year I made a slightly different version of Black-Eyed Peas because I added leftover hot sausages and it turned out more like a stew because the sausage gave the peas a thicker consistency! Gotta say, this version came out delicious and you really need to try this version!
Here’s a few explanation on the superstition of eating Black-Eyed Peas for the New Year. One explanation of the superstition says that black-eyed peas were all the southern slaves had to celebrate with on the first day of January, 1863. What were they celebrating? That was the day when the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect. From then on, peas were always eaten on the first day of January. The oldest explanation for this tradition I found is on Wikipedia. According to Wikipedia, the tradition dates as far ancient Egypt. During the time of the Pharaohs, it was believed that eating a meager food like black-eyed peas showed humility before the gods, and you would be blessed. According to Wikipedia, the Babylonian Talmud, which dates to 339 CE, instructs the faithful Jews to eat black-eyed peas at Rosh Hashana. The belief was similar: those who ate black-eyes showed their humility and saved themselves from the wrath of God. Either explanation works for me, but I have a confession to make, I make Black-Eyed Peas throughout the whole year because their tasty, healthy and so many different ways to prepare them!
Here’s a few different versions of my Black-Eyed Peas recipes from over the years…
I’m slowly dusting off the cobwebs gearing up for the New Year!
Happy 2015 and hoping this year is the best year so far…
Ali in the Valley
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 1/4 pounds hot Italian sausages (about 8 links, pricked with a fork)
- 1 onion (diced)
- 1 green bell pepper (seeded and diced)
- 3 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 jalapeño (seeded and minced)
- 2 cups dried black-eyed peas (picked over and rinsed)
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 cups water
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (plus leaves for garnish)
Directions
- In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the sausages and cook over moderate heat, turning occasionally, until they are cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer the sausages to a plate.
- Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic and jalapeño to the casserole and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until just beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Add the black-eyed peas along with the broth and water. Season lightly with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover partially and simmer over moderately low heat until the black-eyed peas are just tender, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cut the sausages on the diagonal into 1/2-inch slices and add them to the stew along with any accumulated juices from the plate. Add the chopped cilantro, season with salt and pepper and simmer the stew for 10 minutes. Spoon the pea-and-sausage stew into deep bowls, garnish with cilantro leaves and serve.
