Black-Eyed Peas with Spinach
June 8, 2009 posted by Linda Avery
by Tessa Kiros
from Falling Cloudberries: A World of Family Recipes
(Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC, 2009)
Serves 4 to 6
This is probably a cross between a soup and a salad and I like it best when the beans and spinach are still warm. The tomatoes, onion, and dressing must all be at room temperature.—Tessa Kiros
convert Ingredients
1 small onion, diced
1 teaspoon fine salt
2 small tomatoes, diced
A handful of chopped fresh parsley
A couple of lemons, cut into quarters
1 1/2 cups black-eyed peas, soaked overnight
6 cups firmly packed spinach leaves
Extra-virgin olive oil, to serve
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Method
1. Put the onion in a small bowl, cover with cold water, and sprinkle with the salt. Let stand for about 30 minutes or so. Rinse and drain well, squeezing out the excess water with your hands, and put the onion in a small serving dish. Put the tomatoes, parsley and lemons in separate dishes.
2. Meanwhile, rinse the peas and put them in a large saucepan. Cover generously with cold water and bring to a boil. Skim any scum from the surface with a slotted spoon. Drain the peas, return to the pan, and add fresh water. Bring to a boil again, decrease the heat slightly, and cook, uncovered, for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the peas are soft but not mushy. If the water evaporates too quickly, add extra hot water while the peas are cooking—the water level should be just above the peas. Season with salt toward the end of the cooking time. Tear the spinach into bite-sized pieces and add it to the pan. Cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, until the spinach is cooked.
3. Spoon the peas and spinach into individual bowls with a slotted spoon, adding a trickle of the cooking liquid, too. Everyone can dress their own dish with a scattering of parsley, some tomato and onion, salt and pepper, an extra big splash of lemon juice, and olive oil.
Recipe © 2009 Tessa Kiros. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.
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[Allison Parker] I’m partial to black-eyed peas—
especially when prepared Mediterranean-style, using lemon and olive oil, as in this recipe. I grew up eating variations of this dish, but everything was usually just dumped in a casserole and baked, and the spinach tended to be overdone. Here, adding the spinach at the end of the cooking time prevents this from happening, and the color remains a lovely, bright green. The do-it-yourself touch of passing individual toppings on the side is another technique I’ll be adopting from now on, perfect for when you have a roomful of people to serve, each with a different preference.
The recipe is extremely easy, unfussy, and makes a healthy side dish. Try it with pork, chicken, or a meaty fish. It also makes a comforting meal in itself. It should be served as directed: still warm, with toppings at room temperature. One suggestion, though: If you plan to enjoy some of the cooking liquid with the dish (but even if you don’t), the recipe benefits from the addition of more than just a pinch or two of salt in the water at the end. If vegetarianism is not at issue, toss in a ham hock at the beginning of the cooking time. Passing around crumbled feta cheese with the other toppings is another way to boost the salt and add some additional texture. When the feta begins to melt slightly and mingle with cooking liquid in the bottom of your bowl, that’s when things start to get really, really good.