Time: Overnight to soak the peas and about an hour to cook
These little field peas are packed with flavor and history.
The old English rhyme “Pease porridge hot” goes to the oldest form of food related to field peas. Sea Island Red Peas themselves go straight to Reesy Peezy, a Gullah dish made with fresh, green red peas and rice, and on to Hoppin’ John, the famous New Year’s dish made with dried red peas and rice.
Equipment Mise en Place
For this recipe you will need a heavy-bottomed 3-quart stockpot and a wooden spoon. To puree some of the peas
you will need a blender, food processor, burr mixer, potato
masher or simple fork.
Ingredients
1 quart Smoked Ham and Chicken Stock, defatted
1 cup Anson Mills Sea Island Red Peas, soaked in water and refrigerated overnight, then drained
½ yellow onion, peeled, cut through root end and left intact
½ carrot, peeled
2 small inner celery ribs, leaves attached
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 small Turkish bay leaf
1 teaspoon curry powder
Fine sea salt
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or more, to taste
Directions
1. Bring the stock to a simmer over medium-high heat in heavy-bottomed 3-quart stockpot. Stir in the peas, the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, bay leaf and curry powder. Return the liquid to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot partially and simmer gently until the peas are tender, stirring occasionally, one to 1 ¼ hours. Remove the braising vegetables. Stir in the salt to taste and pepper flakes. Remove one-quarter cup or so of peas and broth and puree them in a blender or food processor. Return the puree to the pot with the peas. (Alternately you can use a burr mixer to puree some of the peas or mash them directly in the pot with a potato masher or fork.) If the gravy is too thick, thin it with a bit of water. Stir in the reserved ham if desired. Heat through. Taste for seasoning. Serve hot over Carolina Gold Rice Grits.
Makes about a quart; serves 4 to 6
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