- 1 lb dried black-eyed peas
- 2 small smoked ham hocks or meaty ham bone
- 2 medium onions, quartered
- 3 large cloves garlic, halved
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 1 can (10 – 14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with chili peppers, juices reserved
- 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
- 3 stalks of celery, chopped
- 1 jalapeno or serrano pepper, minced
- 2 tsp Cajun or Creole seasoning
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
- 3/4 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 green onions, sliced
In a large Dutch oven or kettle, combine the peas, ham and 6 cups of water. Cut 1 of the onions into quarters and add it to the pot along with the garlic and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer gently until the beans are tender but not mushy, 2 – 2 1/2 hours. Remove the ham bone, cut off the meat; dice and set aside. Drain the peas and set aside. Remove and discard and the bay leaf, onion pieces and garlic. Add 2 1/2 cups of water to the pot and bring to a boil. Add the rice, cover, and simmer until the rice is almost tender, about 10 - 12 minutes. Mince the remaining onion then add to the rice along with the peas, tomatoes and their juices, red and green bell pepper, celery, jalapeno, creole seasoning, thyme, cumin and salt. Cook until the rice is tender, 5 – 8 minutes. Stir in the sliced green onions and the reserved diced ham. Serve with hot sauce and freshly baked cornbread.
This recipe was found at About.com.
