I come from a line of "you must eat black-eyed peas on New Year's Day for good luck. But if you're like me, it's boring just having a little side dish once a year. So I decided a number of years ago, with my love for Mexican cuisine, I was going to put a little spin on an otherwise boring stew. To this day, many who I shared this with over a decade ago still make it every year. I hope you'll enjoy!
Happy New Year!
Zazza's Mexican Black-Eyed Pea Stew with Jalapeno Sausage
3 TBS Veg Oil (I use Avocado Oil)
1 Package of Precooked Jalapeño Sausage Sliced or Diced (whichever you prefer)
1 Onion Diced
1 Green Bell Pepper, Seeded & Diced
3 Garlic Cloves, Minced
1 Japapeno, Seeded & Minced
14oz Rotel Tomatoes, Drained (I use the Mexican Style w/ Lime & Cilantro)
2 Cups Dried Black-Eyed Peas (picked over and rinsed) or you can use two cans, drained
4 Cups Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
3 Cups Water
Salt & Pepper
1/4 Cup Chopped Cilantro
Directions:
1. In a large pot or dutch oven add oil over moderate heat and add the sausage. Brown it up a bit, and let the juices flow for about 3 minutes. Remove sausage from pot, and set aside for later.
2. In the same pot add onion, bell pepper, garlic, and jalapeño, and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until just beginning to brown (about 6 minutes). Add the tomatoes, and cook until liquid has evaporated (about 5 minutes). Add the black-eyed peas along with the broth and water. Season lightly with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Cover partially, and simmer over moderately low heat until the black-eyed peas are just tender ( about 1 hour and 15 minutes). If you used canned peas instead, you don't have to simmer for this long, just until the flavors are nice and married.
3. Add the sausage and any juices from the plate to the stew. Add the chopped cilantro, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for 10 minutes. Spoon the pea-and-sausage stew into deep bowls, garnish with cilantro, and serve. I make jalapeno cornbread to go along with it! You can also top with sour cream, pickled red onions, avocado and cotija cheese.
Enjoy & Happy New Year!