IN MOST RURAL AREAS OF GEORGIA, BLACK-EYED PEAS
are still called cowpeas. I can remember this hearty stew one of my great aunts outside Macon once threw together for dinner after we’d spent much of the day picking Elberta peaches in a neighbor’s orchard. I often use fresh or frozen peas in this stew, the single advantage of dried peas being the flavorful liquid in which they must be soaked at least an hour (even overnight), which can be substituted for the fresh water. The traditional way to serve the stew in Georgia is over boiled rice.
Makes 6 servings
INGREDIENTS
- 3⁄4 pound shelled fresh or frozen cowpeas (black-eyed peas), rinsed and picked over
- 1 pound cooked smoked ham, cut into small cubes
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 celery rib, chopped
- 1⁄2 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 1⁄4 teaspoon dried sage, crumbled
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 3 cups water
- 2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
- Worcestershire and Tabasco sauces to taste
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour mixed with 1 tablespoon water
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a large, heavy pot, combine the cowpeas, ham, onion, celery, bell pepper, bay leaf, sage, salt, and pepper.
- Add water to the pot and stir well.
- Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, cover the pot, and cook for 1 hour.
- Add tomato ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and Tabasco sauce to the pot.
- Cook the stew until the cowpeas are tender, about 30 minutes longer.
- In a small bowl, mix all-purpose flour with water to create a thickening agent.
- Add the flour-and-water mixture to the stew and stir until the stew is thickened.
- Serve the stew hot.
