Black-Eyed Pea Stew with Sausage
Happy New Year! Ever since I was a child, I can remember having black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day. This is a southern tradition, and it’s one that I still keep to this day. (The collard greens, however, never managed to grow on me.) As a child, I hated eating black-eyed peas by themselves. Honestly, they don’t have a ton of flavor on their own. Sure you can cook them with a ham hock, but they’re still not the most exciting things to eat, especially for kids. This year, I was determined to start 2011 the right way by finding a delicious recipe in which to use black-eyed peas. This stew turned out to be exactly what I was looking for.
When I found this recipe, I was somewhat nervous about making it. The only seasonings in it are salt and pepper, and I wasn’t sure if that would be enough to flavor the peas. However, with the combination of chicken broth, tomatoes and Italian sausage, this stew turned out to be incredibly delicious. The bell pepper, onion and sausage each provide a different texture, something I like when I’m eating soups or stews. There’s only a small amount of heat, but that will vary based on the type of sausage you use. If you want more heat, you can always add crushed red pepper flakes during the last few minutes of cooking time. This soup can be refrigerated up to four days, and the leftovers taste just as good.
I hope 2011 brings you happiness and plenty of delicious meals!
- YIELD: serves 6
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1¼ pounds hot Italian sausages, pricked with a fork
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
1 (14-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped
2 cups dried black-eyed peas, rinsed
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 cups water
Salt and pepper
¼ cup chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
- 1
In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausages and cook, turning occasionally, until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- 2
Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic and jalapeño to the Dutch oven. Stir frequently until just beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Add the tomatoes and continue cooking until any liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the peas, broth and water and stir to combine. Season lightly with salt and pepper, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover partially.
Simmer for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the peas are just tender.
- 3
When the soup is done simmering, cut the sausages on the diagonal into ½-inch slices. Alternately, cut sausages lengthwise, then crosswise into ½-inch slices. Add sausages and parsley to stew and stir to combine. Add more salt and pepper if needed.
Continue cooking an additional 10 minutes. Transfer to serving bowls and garnish with additional parsley, if desired.
I think this could double as a really good chili if instead
of slicing the sausage, you squeezed them out of their wrapping,
and of course, add cumin. I think I’ll try this for dinner tonight,
and lunch tomorrow!
Definitely! That sounds delicious, and I love the idea of adding cumin (one of my favorite spices)!
That looks like a really delicious way to make black-eyed
peas for New Year’s Day, or for any day for that matter! I love the
combination of beans and sausage.