Hey, thanks everyone for your answers and suggestions! I ended up trying a delicious riff on this recipe from Matt and Ted Lee in their Simple Fresh Southern cookbook: http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20140827/PC1206/140829521/1017/
Since I didn't have beets, I substituted fresh corn, boiled and cut from the cob. The sweetness of the corn combined well with the earthy black-eyed peas and the spice of the ginger. It was a great side dish to smoked ribs and I will definitely make it again - perhaps following the ingredients list and using beets next time. :-)
You can make them into hummus, that's rather popular around here. Hugh Acheson has a recipe for it. You could make them into a salad using other seasonal veggies. But as previously mentioned I usually build them until just tender drain them and sauté with garlic and greens and other spices.
For a really nice vegetarian option - Heat some oil in a frying pan, add a small diced brown onion and a minced clove or two of garlic and fry until lightly browned. Add a couple of handfuls of finely shredded cabbage (Savoy or Chinese works well here) and then the boiled and softened black eyed peas, two cups or so. Season with salt and pepper to taste. You can also add some red pepper flakes to the oil for some background heat. This is a middle eastern dish. Enjoy!
Simmer them with hamhocks,onion and garlic. Or a smokey bacon..pork belly.
save a serving as leftovers.
The next day. Slice some heirloom tomatoes and toss with oil and vinegar. Plate with a scattering of the peas, Applewood smoked bacon and drizzle with a buttermilk chive dressing a sprig of thyme and chopped basil.
Bonus if you add a hushpuppie on the side.
I used to get them at a local produce store, packed in bags of water- they didn't seem to me to cook up noticeably different from the frozen. They combine extremely well with all sorts of smoked meats- ham hocks are classic, but ham, bacon, various sausages etc. all work well. My personal favorite combos generally include some onion and tomato, but they are not difficult to combine with many flavors.
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Since I didn't have beets, I substituted fresh corn, boiled and cut from the cob. The sweetness of the corn combined well with the earthy black-eyed peas and the spice of the ginger. It was a great side dish to smoked ribs and I will definitely make it again - perhaps following the ingredients list and using beets next time. :-)
save a serving as leftovers.
The next day. Slice some heirloom tomatoes and toss with oil and vinegar. Plate with a scattering of the peas, Applewood smoked bacon and drizzle with a buttermilk chive dressing a sprig of thyme and chopped basil.
Bonus if you add a hushpuppie on the side.