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Black-Eyed Pea "Caviar" Is a Deep-South Delicacy

YumSugar — Mon, 18 May 2009 16:15:17 -0700

Don't let the name fool you: this "LA Caviar" is neither from Los Angeles nor made from caviar. Rather, the "LA" stands for "Lower Alabama," the coastal corner of Alabama that's home to Lulu's at Homeport Marina, a beachside restaurant owned by Jimmy Buffett's sister, Lucy Buffett. I borrowed this recipe from a Southern friend a few years back, and it's since become one of my favorite easy and healthy dips to whip up for parties.

Similar to a salsa, this chunky bean salad gets its tang from tomatoes and bell peppers, a touch of earthiness from the peas, and a delightful sweetness thanks to balsamic vinegar and sugar. To learn more and get the recipe, read more.

This dip is delicious on tortilla chips or crackers - I love to serve it with seeded flatbreads. It's a satisfying Summer dish, and since black-eyed peas are a good-luck food in the South, this makes a great New Year's Eve nibble, too.

Lulu's LA (Lower Alabama) Caviar
Lulu's at Homeport Marina via Atlanta Journal Constitution

Ingredients

3 (15-ounce) cans black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup chopped red onion
3 tablespoons chopped green bell pepper
3 tablespoons chopped red bell pepper
3 tablespoons chopped yellow bell pepper
1/2 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Salt and pepper

Directions

Combine black-eyed peas, onion, peppers, tomatoes, parsley, vinegar, oil and sugar
Season with salt and pepper.
Marinate for 12 to 24 hours before serving.
Serve with crackers or tortilla chips.

Serves 10.

Per serving: 203 calories, 8 grams protein, 27 grams carbohydrates, 6 grams fiber, 8 grams fat (1 gram saturated), no cholesterol, 279 milligrams sodium.

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Reader's Recipe: Black Eyed Peas

YumSugar — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 13:40:01 -0800

As I was looking for a recipe to feature today, I stumbled across one that Smeehle posted for her family's black eyed peas. I'm a sucker for good old fashioned Southern cooking (OK I'm a sucker for good old fashioned cooking period!) and thought you should all check out her post. In Alabama they eat these on New Year's Day for good luck and prosperity in the year to come. Hopefully we aren't too late and if we make them today, they'll still bring good things in the year to come. Also, since it's based on family traditions, it sounds like this recipe is perfect for the mouth-watering memories group!

Keep on adding your recipes to the database and I may feature yours here next week! To read Smeehle's recipe for black eyed peas, read more

Recipe submitted by: Smeehle

I grew up in Alabama, where we ate black-eyed peas on New Year's Day for good luck & prosperity in the coming year. My favorite way to eat them is in Hoppin' John. Most people just make it like beans and rice, with salt pork or a ham bone, rice, salt & pepper. I make it Cajun style, like my dad's family in New Orleans:

Crock Pot Cajun-style Hoppin' John
-------------------------------

1 lb Andoule or hot Italian sausage
vegetable oil
1 can chicken broth
1 onion, chopped
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 red or green bell pepper, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
2 cans chopped tomatoes
1 can black-eyed peas
brown rice
water
Tony Chachere's Cajun Seasoning (or other Cajun seasoning)
Tobasco or other hot sauce

Brown sausage whole over medium-high heat in a heavy skillet that has been lightly coated with vegetable oil. Add broth, onion and garlic to the skillet and cover. Reduce heat to medium and cook until sausage is cooked through and the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Remove the sausage from the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Put broth and vegetables from the skillet in a large crock pot. Cut sausage into 1/4-inch pieces. Add sausage, tomatoes, bell pepper, celery, black-eyed peas to the crock pot. Measure 1 can of rice (using a tomato can) and add it to the pot. Measure 1 can of water and add it to the pot. Season with Cajun seasoning and tobasco to taste. Cook on high for at least 2 hours (or turn the crock pot on low and leave it all day).

Traditionally served with mustard greens, but a salad of dark, leafy greens will do just fine!

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7 Lucky Black-Eyed Pea Dishes

YumSugar — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 05:30:15 -0800

Blackeyeds, as they're affectionately called, originally hail from Africa, but it's hard to imagine that these pale-colored beans with prominent black spots aren't native to the Southeastern United States. That's because Southerners have lovingly eaten them for centuries on New Year's Day, when they're customarily devoured in order to bring good luck and prosperous fortune in the year to come. Here are some of our favorite recipes, both traditional and contemporary.

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Sunday Dinner: Black-Eyed Peas With Pork and Greens

YumSugar — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 06:30:06 -0800

Pork chops may be filling and healthful, but because they're a leaner cut, they aren't always full of flavor.

To keep your taste buds dancing, incorporate the other white meat into a classic Southern staple that's got major sass: the Hoppin' John.

A medley of black-eyed peas, brown rice, kale, and pork come together with the help of tomato, broth, vinegar, and paprika. Enjoy a dish that's got a little bit of everything when you keep reading.

Must-Read: Dinner At My Place

YumSugar — Mon, 11 May 2009 03:30:49 -0700

Over the past few months, I've been testing recipes from Tyler Florence's recent cookbook: Dinner At My Place $13.57.

Although Florence has penned several other cookbooks, this one has a particularly intimate feeling because it includes his family's favorite recipes along with great menus for dinner parties.

To find out if you should add it to your cookbook collection,
read more.

Pros:

The book is divided into innovative menus and theme parties. Some examples are Crab Season, Tolan's Birthday Dinner, and Sunday Dinner. There are a wide variety of recipes in each menu, which can be easily mixed and matched.
Many of the recipes offer substitutions in case some of the ingredients are not in season or are unavailable.
The last chapter, Cheat Sheet, has over 20 basic recipes (such as creamy parmesan potato gratin, Japanese beef broth, classic French Vinaigrette) that are fast and easy staples perfect for livening up any meal.

Cons:

Tyler is the father of three children, however, I thought it was overkill to dedicate an entire chapter to baby food. Perhaps a separate book or a smaller section? After all, I'm not making puree of anything for my adult guests anytime soon.
Directions for the recipes are in paragraph format rather than number.

Recipes: There are a wide variety of recipes in each of his pre-planned menus. Here are some that caught my attention.

Garden Puree Bruschetta
Blender Béarnaise
Watermelon Nectar with Lime Salt
Spicy Black-Eyed Pea Relish
Corn Pudding with Poblano
Artichoke Fritters with Meyer Lemon Salt
Beet Cakes with Sweet Greek Yogurt
Chinese Chicken Stock
Bourbon Peach Cobbler

Imagery: There are tons of pictures, which I promise will get you salivating.

Overall Rating: This cookbook has plenty of recipes perfect for a dinner party. It's not filled with lengthy and difficult culinary challenges, but rather tasty comfort foods that an average family is sure to enjoy.

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Let's Dish: What Foods Do You Eat For Good Luck?

YumSugar — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 15:00:23 -0700

Maybe it was the luck of the Irish, but yesterday's festivities got me thinking about fortuitous foods. Whenever anyone in my family travels, my mother prepares a large pot of Ping An Mien, the Chinese chicken noodle soup pictured above, for safe travels. Before my friend Jaime ran her first marathon, she had to eat a certain dish at her favorite Italian restaurant for good luck, and many Southerners will tell you they can't start a new year on the right foot without black-eyed peas. Tell me, what are your lucky foods?

In Season: Long Beans

YumSugar — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 09:00:12 -0700

Yard-long beans, or asparagus beans, are at the peak of their season right now, which runs from late Summer to early Fall, with the exception of places such as California and Mexico where they grow year-round. They've been springing up in local farmers markets, but you can also find them at most Asian grocery stores. Do you know much about these leggy legumes, which are a relative of the black-eyed pea? To find out what to look for, read more.

Choose long, slender, smooth, firm pods that can easily be snapped in half. This indicates that the long beans are young.
Avoid beans that are noticeably bulging, or have too many blemishes. These beans may be overly developed and old.
The pale green bean is meatier and sweeter than darker yard-long bean varieties.
Store refrigerated in a plastic bag for two to five days.

Some preparation ideas:

Stew with tomato sauce.
Boil and drain, then season with lemon juice, oil, and salt and pepper.
Simmer in oil with garlic.
Cut into small cubes and add to stir-fries or omelette scrambles.
Deep-fry the beans and toss with Vietnamese fish sauce, chili sauce, or Chinese fermented black beans.

Have you tried long beans? What is your favorite preparation?

Come Party With Me: Mardi Gras Bash - Music

partysugar — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 06:58:12 -0800

There is less then 36 hours to go until my Mardi Gras party and I believe I have everything basically under control. The invitations were sent and the RSVP texts have been vibrating on my phone all morning (why does everyone wait until the last minute to rsvp???), my house is already set into party mode, the keg will be picked up in the morning, and later today I'll start making sweet and savory appetizers. I hope that everyone comes in the mood to dance and that is why the music is a very important part of this party. The music at an event should never be overlooked (sometimes I get so caught up in the cooking I forget until the last minute!) and if you are not a super DJ, ask a trusted, musically inclined friend to help you. To see what I've compiled on my playlist, read more

I took my own advice and talked to the Sugar Network's in the know resident DJ, BuzzSugar. She recommended I put at least one New Orleans/Mardi Gras inspired mix on the list and pointed me to a compilation called Louisiana Gumbo. There's also an interesting sounding CD on iTunes called Mardi Gras Party. I'll also add all of the songs from BuzzSugar's Mardi gras playlist to my mix for the night. It may be a long night so I'll need a great variety of songs.

As for my dance favorites, the new Madonna (Confessions on A Dance Floor), Justin Timberlake (FutureSex/LoveSounds), Nelly Furtado (Loose), Black Eyed Peas (Elephunk) mixed with older dance classics: Christina Aguilera's Dirty, Beyonce's Crazy In Love, 50 Cent In Da Club, Kylie Minogue's Can't Get You Out of My Head, Britney Spears' Slave, Bon Jovi's Livin on a Prayer, Stone Roses' Fool's Gold, Shakira's Hips Don't Lie and current top 40 hits: Fergie's Fergalicious, Beyonce's Irreplaceable, Gwen's Sweet Escape, KT Tunstall's Suddenly I See, and Rihanna's SOS.

Did I fail to list your favorite dance song? Please tell me about it below!