The black eyed pea is said to have been brought over to America by slaves from Africa and have become a popular, traditional food of the south. Many African Americans celebrate the New Years with a bowl of Hoppin John for good luck. However, not only can they be used as the main entree, they are used to make delicious dips, which I have chosen to spotlight both below.

Texas Caviar

INGREDIENTS:
3 cans drained black eye peas with chopped jalapeno peppers
1 purple onion, chopped
3 tomatoes, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 avocados, chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped
Zesty Italian Salad Dressing

PREPARATION:After you chop all this up, add enough Zesty Italian dressing to get the consistency that you want for a dip. Add salt and pepper and refrigerate overnight. Serve with tortilla chips.

Black Eyed Pea Salsa
1 can (15 ounces) Black Eyed Peas, drained
1 can (14-16 ounces) white shoepeg corn, drained
1 can (14-16 ounces) diced tomatoes (basil, garlic, oregano flavored)
1 can (14-16 ounces) diced tomatoes (drained)
8 ounces Italian Dressing
Chopped onion (to taste)
Crackers for dipping

Mix all ingredients together and marinate in refrigerator for at least 1 1/2 hours.  Serve with crackers.

I use a can of Bush Brothers Black Eyed Peas. Below, check out the site for Bush Brothers. I think you will find many fast, but delicous recipes using their many varieties of beans.


If you are interested in Hoppin John, which is a meal in itself, try this recipe and watch the smiles around the dinner table.

Hoppin' John
1 pound dried black-eyed peas
1 pound spicy bulk pork sausage
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 quarts water
2 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ground white pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 cups beef broth, homemade or canned
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cups long-grained rice In a large saucepan, bring the peas and water to a boil over high heat. Boil for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat, cover tightly, and let stand for 1 hour. (Or in a large bowl, combine the peas with enough cold water to cover by 3 inches, and let stand overnight at room temperature.) Drain well.
In a 5-quart Dutch oven, cook the sausage, onion, and garlic over medium heat, stirring often to break up the sausage, until it loses its raw look, about 10 minutes. Pour off all excess fat.

Add the drained peas, water, and red and white peppers. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, covered, until the peas are tender, about 1 1/4 hours. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of the salt.

Meanwhile, bring the beef broth, butter, and remaining 1 teaspoon of salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the rice, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer, covered, until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, about 20 minutes. Fluff the rice and transfer it to a deep serving bowl.

Pour the peas over the rice, mix well, and serve immediately.