riacmt@ubvmsa.cc.buffalo.edu (Carol Miller-Tutzauer) (08/08/90)
In article <1990Aug3.220939.2743@mthvax.cs.miami.edu>, rrb@seismo.CSS.GOV (Robert Blandford) writes... > >I would like some recipes using black-eyed peas, which I think are >widely unexploited. I heard Edna Lewis, a famous black cook, now at >Gage and Tollner's in Brooklyn, New York say this also. We agreed >that Hoppin John is not what we are looking for. She said that she >liked to cook them "Italian Style" which involved sauteing them in >olive oil and using tomatoes; but I couldn't catch the details. Chicken Smothered with Black-Eyed Peas -------------------------------------- From: Authentic Cajun Cooking by Chef Paul Prudhomme (brochure published by the McIlhenny Co. -- i.e. makers of Tobasco Sauce) Seasoning Mix: 1 T salt 1 1/2 t onion powder 1 1/2 garlic powder 1 t white pepper 1 t dry mustard 1 t rubbed sage 1/2 t dried thyme leaves 1 (3 1/2 to 4 lb) stewing or roasting hen (fryers ok too), cut into 8 to 10 pieces 1 c all-purpose flour Vegetable oil for frying 1/4 cup chicken fat, pork lard, or vegetable oil 9 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 2 1/2 c finely chopped onion 1 1/2 c finely chopped celery 3 bay leaves 1 T + 1 t Tabasco hot pepper sauce 1 lb dried (or frozen) black-eyed peas 1 T garlic powder 1 1/2 t rubbed sage 1 t dried thyme leaves 11 c chicken stock (canned is fine, you will need less if using frozen black-eyed peas) about 3 c hot cooked rice Thoroughly combine the seasoning mix ingredients in a small bowl. sprinkle about 1 T of the mix on the chicken pieces, patting it in by hand. Combine the remaining mix with the flour in a plastic or paper bag, mixing well. Set aside. In a large (preferably cast-iron) skillet heat 1/2 inch oil to 350 deg F over high heat. Just before frying, dredge the chicken pieces in the seasoned flour, shaking off excess; fry in the hot oil (large pieces and skin side down first) until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. (Adjust heat as needed to maintain about 350 deg F.) Drain on paper towels and set aside. In a 5 1/2 qt saucepan or large Dutch oven, melt the fat (or use oil) over high heat. Add the bacon and cook just until it starts to get crisp, about 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the onion, celery, bay leaves, and 1 t of Tabasco; cook until vegetables start to get tender, about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the peas, garlic, sage, onion powder, and thyme, stirrin well; cook untill all the oil and juice is absorbed and mixture starts sticking excessively (Yes! sticking), about 2 to 4 minutes, stirring often. Add the stock, chicken pieces, and the remaining 1 T Tabasco; bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer until chicken and peas are tender, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours (much less for frozen black-eyes), stirring occasionally. (Cooking time will vary according to toughness of hen -- fryers done quickest.) Adjust salt to taste toward the end of cooking time. To serve, place 1 to 2 pieces of chicken on each plate. Mound about 1/2 c rice to the side, then top the rice with about 1/2 c black-eyed peas. Spoon extra sauce over the peas and chicken. Carol