Black Eyed Peas

I posted a black-eyed pea recipe a few New Years ago that was prepared in a slow cooker. This year I cooked them on the stove top

I spent New Years at Papa's this year so I made a small pot for us and his girlfriend.  I found a package of fresh black-eyed peas so soaking them overnight was unnecessary and it made the cooking time a lot shorter.

 My flavorings were onion, jalapeno, garlic and fresh thyme.

I let the vegetables sweat in a little olive oil

then I added this bad boy.  Papa had a honey baked ham for Christmas and I cut the bone out of it.  The honey baked ham bone made a milder broth than a smoked ham hock that I would normally use.

I added some broth, the thyme and the peas.

I threw in a handful of chopped up honey baked ham

After bringing everything to a boil the heat was turned down and the peas simmered about an hour until they were tender but not mushy.

I don't add any salt until the peas are done.  The reason is that I never know how salty the ham or the broth may be.  With this batch, I didn't have to add any at all.

Waiting on the corn muffins to come out of the oven so we can eat a little bit of good luck for 2016!


Stove-Top Cooked 
Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients
1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small yellow onion
3 cloves garlic
1 large jalapeno pepper
1 large ham bone
5 cups chicken broth
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 pound fresh black-eyed peas
 3/4 pound honey baked ham
salt to taste

Mise en Place

• chop onion
• mince garlic
• remove seeds and veins from jalapeno and finely dice the pepper
• measure broth
• cube the honey baked ham

Method
Heat Dutch oven over medium heat and add olive oil.  Toss in the onion, garlic and the jalapeno.  Allow to sweat for a few minutes; do not let them brown.  Add the ham bone, broth, thyme, black-eyed peas and the cubed ham.  Bring to a boil then turn heat to medium low and allow peas to simmer.

Check the peas for doneness after 1 hour.  Allow to simmer longer if necessary.  You want them to be tender but not mushy and falling apart. Serve with hot corn muffins.