Tuesday, January 06, 2009
black-eyed pea hummus
dispatch from the frozen north
I made black-eyed pea hummus in honor of New Year’s Day, since eating black-eyed peas is supposed to ensure good fortune in the coming year. (The other thing you’re supposed to eat is collard greens—but you don’t have to eat them in the same meal! Check out my non-traditional Indian collard green recipe if you want.)
Just look at the sunshine beaming onto this plate! For a mid-winter day in Anchorage, these bright beams could portend good things to come in the new year… But it’s a bit of a mixed blessing, because when it’s clear, it’s usually cold. It’s been 15 degrees below zero for the past two weeks here near the coast, but in the interior, it’s been much colder. Just 45 miles north, in Palmer, it’s been 30 degrees below zero, and when Arthur delivers our CSA vegetable boxes, he has to stack them on the passenger seats to the ceiling of his big Suburban, since the back of his box truck is too cold!
It’s hard to dress warmly enough to cross-country ski or run, but I’ve been dressing in three or four very thick layers to get out there. If it wasn’t so beautiful, with tiers of spruce boughs laden with thick frostings of fluffy snow, the sun reflecting off the sparkles in the air, I wouldn’t mind running inside on a treadmill. As it is, it’s too pretty to miss! That is, when I can see it! After half an hour or so, my eyelashes build up enough ice to stick together when I blink… or they freeze to my icicle of a neck muff, hoisted up just under my eyes (I guess I should call it a face muff). **ouch!**
I pretend that the rays of sun hitting my one square inch of exposed flesh are providing me with adequate Vitamin D. But whether it hits my skin or not, there’s a psychological benefit of taking the sun. It definitely perks me up, and I feel triumphant afterwards: I’ve managed to overcome the elements! Then, of course, I hop immediately into a hot shower. So much for my tough pioneering spirit.
Anyway, Happy New Year, and stay warm out there!
black-eyed pea hummus
This is a fun recipe based on one in Crescent Dragonwagon’s Passionate Vegetarian
2 cups dried black-eyed peas, soaked for 4 hours or overnight
2 bay leaves
8 cloves garlic (4 for cooking the beans, 4 for the hummus)
¼ cup natural peanut butter, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 2 teaspoons fresh thyme)
2 tablespoons cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon of cayenne, or to taste
2 teaspoons sea salt or kosher salt, plus more to taste
1. Drain and rinse the soaked peas. Cover the black-eyed peas with 2 inches of water in a large pot. Mince or press 4 of the whole garlic cloves and add them and the bay leaves to the pot, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and let simmer until the beans are completely tender (you can squish them between your tongue and roof of your mouth). This will probably take about 30 or 40 minutes, but keep testing. Let them cool a bit in their liquid. Don’t drain the beans yet—you’ll need some of the liquid to make the hummus.
2. This is probably the most important step of the whole recipe: REMOVE THE BAY LEAVES from the peas. (It’s very important to find the bay leaves and get rid of them at this stage. Bay leaves do not puree well—they just turn into hundreds of tiny sharp shards.)
3. In a food processor, mince the remaining 4 cloves of garlic. Add the peanut butter, thyme, vinegar, cayenne and salt, and puree it until well-mixed. If your lemon juice or vinegar is cold, it’ll congeal the peanut butter into little curds—that’s totally fine. Scooping the peas out of the pot with a strainer or slotted spoon, add some of the beans to the food processor. (You might have to do this in batches, depending on the size if your food processor.) If you need to add bean-cooking liquid to make a smooth puree, do so.
4. Taste the puree and add more salt, more peanut butter, more cayenne, vinegar or lemon juice… whatever you think best! Scoop it up with celery sticks, carrots, or spread on crackers or toast! It tastes even better the next day.
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Yum yum--being from Texas and having done regular black-eyed peas and collard greens (these from Glacier Valley CSA!) for New Year’s, I can’t wait to try this hummus! Planning to make celery remoulade from the celery root in my CSA box and have loved the stuffed squash (I used dried cranberries since I didn’t have currants) and my guests asked for the recipe (I gave them that issue of Glacier Grist). Have tried many recipes and learned a lot about new vegetables---so delicious to try these new recipes--thanks!
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I just made this today and wanted to see who else has done the same. I was a bit uneasy about using peanut butter in the recipe, but it tasted great. I can’t wait to try more of her recipes! I got the book as a gift and haven’t used it much yet.
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I can’t wait to try more of her recipes! I got the book as a gift and haven’t used it much yet.
Very light pink would be a great choice because since it is so natural, it takes the attention off the nails and throws it at the bride. That’s ......
I can’t wait to try this hummus! Planning to make celery remoulade from the celery root in my CSA box and have loved the stuffed squash
i just love black-eyed pea hummus. it is really very light cooking food and contains essentials proteins and vitamins for our health and energy.The combination of pork fat/bacon grease and collard greens also give such a great taste.
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thanks for sharing great ideas on these tasty recipes i never tried this before so i am eager to try this as soon as possible thanks for this great share.
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Don’t drain the beans yet—you’ll need some of the liquid to make the hummus.
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Thank god for a proper question on yahoo “ask”. geez so many stupid questions. now back to the question. have you ever had a chick pea salad..you mentioned that you dont like canned chickpeas though this salad is really good..
1 can chickpeas
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Thank god for a proper question on yahoo “ask”. geez so many stupid questions. now back to the question. have you ever had a chick pea salad..you mentioned that you don’t like canned chickpeas though this salad is really good. I read your entire post and you really nice explanation on new year festival. Actually i was searching for online shopping website, because Christmas and new year festival is coming near. Single Mattresses
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I will try make one for this weekend party ^^
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HAPPY NEW YEAR, ALISON!
girl, you put me to shame...there you are, in a place much much colder than new york city, going out cross-country skiing and delivering CSA boxes while the best i can do (and still complain about, mind you) is go downstairs to run on the treadmill. goddess!
and as for this hummus? double-yum. cannot wait to try it since both black-eyed peas and hummus of any variety are big hits around here.
hope your peas and your collards prove lucky for 2009, and best wishes for the cherry on top.