Southern Style Black Eyed Peas

Dinner | American

Prep time: 3 min Cook time: 45 min Servings: 4

This is my take on a Southern staple that I keep coming back to. It’s built on a base of smoked bacon, chorizo and the holy trinity of capsicum, celery and onion, then simmered with black eyed peas in chicken stock until everything is thick and deeply flavoured. The finish is a quick pulse with a stick blender to puree about a third of the peas, which gives it a creamy texture without losing all the bite. It’s a one-pot dish and it reheats well all week.

Black eyed peas are traditionally eaten on New Year’s Day in the Southern US for good luck and prosperity, and I’ve kept the spirit of the dish while streamlining the process so it comes together in under an hour once the peas are soaked. The soaking step is non-negotiable: at least 3 hours but overnight is better. After that the cooking is straightforward. I use beef bacon here but smoked pork bacon or speck both work well in its place.

Ingredient Notes

Black eyed peas: Also known as cowpeas, black eyed peas are a legume rather than a true pea. I use dried rather than canned for this recipe as they hold their shape better during the simmer and absorb more flavour from the stock. Soak them for at least 3 hours, but overnight gives the best result. Drain and rinse well before adding to the pot. If you’re short on time, canned will work but reduce the simmering time by about half.

Smoked chorizo: The chorizo brings fat, smoke and a deep paprika flavour that sets the tone for the whole dish. I use a smoked, cured variety rather than fresh, which has a firmer texture and more concentrated flavour. Kielbasa is a good substitute, or andouille if you want a spicier result. The sausage is browned first so it renders some fat into the base before the vegetables go in.

Smoked paprika: It does a lot of work here alongside the spice blend and the chorizo. I use sweet smoked paprika rather than hot as the cayenne is already handling the heat. Buy a fresh tin if yours has been sitting in the pantry for more than six months as paprika loses its intensity quickly, and a stale tin will flatten the whole dish.

Equipment

Chopping board
Chef’s knife
Large heavy-based saucepan with lid
Wooden spoon
Stick blender (immersion blender)
Large container (for soaking the peas)
Ladle

Ingredients

300g (1½ cups) black eyed peas
1 tbsp olive oil
200g smoked bacon (beef bacon), diced
1 smoked chorizo sausage (or kielbasa), diced
1 red capsicum (bell pepper), diced
1 green capsicum (bell pepper), diced
1 celery stick, diced
2 spring onions, sliced, white and green parts separated
1 brown onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, diced
3 fresh bay leaves
1 tsp dried oregano
1½ tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 L chicken stock
⅓ cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

Directions

Soak the peas
Rinse the black eye peas under cold water and discard any broken ones.
Place the peas in a large container and cover with plenty of water. Cover and set aside to soak for 3-4 hours, but ideally overnight.
Cook the base
Dice the bacon, chorizo, capsicums, celery, brown onion and garlic. Slice the spring onions and separate the green and white parts.
Heat the oil in a large heavy based saucepan over medium high heat.
Cook the bacon for 2-3 minutes, until the fat has rendered and it starts to brown.
Add the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, for a further few minutes.
Add the capsicums, celery, brown onion, garlic and spring onion whites to the pan. Cook for 8-10 minutes until starting to soften, stirring often.
Add the bay leaves, dried oregano, smoked paprika, cayenne, garlic powder and onion powder. Stir well to combine and cook until the spices are fragrant.
Mix in the drained peas and the stock. Bring to a simmer, then cover with a lid and reduce the heat to medium low.
Simmer for 15 minutes, then uncover and cook for a further 10 minutes.
Finish and serve
Turn the heat off and remove the bay leaves. Using a stick blender(immersion blender), pulse the soup a little to puree one third of the peas. Stir through the spring onion greens and fresh parsley, and serve!

Ingredients

Directions

Recipe notes