Black Eyed Pea Stew & Dumplings

Another New Years Day is upon us so that means we are all obligated to eat a meal with black eyed peas and some greens. Ok, I don't exactly feel obligated. I love black eyed peas as much as I love dark, leafy greens so tonight's dinner wasn't hard for me to prepare. It was even easier to eat.

Two Years Ago Today  Fig, Almond and Olive Oil Cake and Black Eyed Pea Crepes with Sweet Potato & Spicy Apricot Sauce

 Black eyed pea stew loaded with carrots, green beans, corn, garlic, pearl onions and tender, dense dumplings cooked right in the broth.

Black Eyed Pea Stew with Dumplings
serves 3
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
6 oz thawed pearl onions
2 carrots, small dice
2 celery stalks, small dice
1 tbl salt
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp cayenne
2 handfuls fresh kale, chopped finely (from about 1 small bunch)
2 cups medium diced fresh green beans
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1-15oz can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
3 tbl all-purpose flour
4 cups vegetable broth
1 tbl fresh minced parsley

Saute the onions, carrots and celery with salt, thyme, oregano, pepper, red pepper flakes and cayenne until the vegetables start to slightly caramelize and become tender, 7 minutes. Add the kale, green beans, garlic, corn and black eyed peas and cook until the kale has wilted, 5 minutes.
Sprinkle in the flour and stir to combine thoroughly, cooking for about 1 minute. Add the broth and stir to inhibit the flour from clumping. Bring to a boil, reduce to a hard simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
While the stew is cooking, make the dumplings.
Taste and season before adding the dumplings.
Drop the dumplings in the stew, making sure they have space to grow. Cover and cook for 7 minutes.
Flip the dumplings over and cover, cooking 7 minutes more.
Garnish with parsley and serve.

Dumplings
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup almond milk

Combine the flour, powder and salt in a bowl. Drizzle in the oil and use a fork to combine so the oil is mixed in, in small coarse balls.
Add the almond milk and stir to combine. The dough should be more wet, than dry.
Use a small ice cream scoop or a spoon to drop small dumplings about the size of a large grape into the boiling stew. They will expand and double in size while cooking so make sure they are spaced apart.

Beans & Greens with Cornbread

Black eye (or is it eyed? I've seen them both ways) peas are my favorite legume and collards are definitely top 10 spot on my vegetable list so what could make this meal any better? Cornbread that's what!

Spicy jalapeno black eyed peas served with tangy collard greens and slightly sweet cornbread.

Cornbread
1 tbl ener-g egg replacer
1/4 cup water
1 cup almond milk
2/3 cup organic cane sugar
1/2 cup melted earth balance vegan butter
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a loaf pan.
Whisk together the egg replacer and water in a medium bowl until frothy, 2 minutes. Add the almond milk, sugar, butter and vinegar and stir to combine. Add the flour, cornmeal, baking soda and salt.
Bake for 20 minutes at 350 then turn up the heat to 400 and bake 15 more or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Black Eyed Peas
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1/4 red onion, small dice
1 jalapeno, seeded, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-15 oz can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup vegetable broth
salt, to taste
1/4 cup bbq sauce

Saute the onion, jalapeno and garlic in olive oil until soft, 5-7 minutes. Add the peas and broth and simmer for 10-15 minutes over medium-high heat until most of the liquid has absorbed. Use a potato masher or fork to mash half of the bean mixture up. Once plated, drizzle the whole meal with a little bit of your favorite barbecue sauce.

Collard Greens
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 head collards, roughly chopped
1 tbl organic light brown sugar
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tbl apple cider vinegar
1 cup vegetable broth
1 cup water

Saute the greens in olive oil for just a few minutes to soften. Add the sugar, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and toss to combine. Add the vinegar, broth and water and simmer for 25 minutes.

Black Eyed Pea Cabbage Rolls

Black Eyed Peas are traditional to eat at the end of the year/beginning of the new year and they happen to be one of my favorite beans so I am getting a head start now. These could also be wrapped up in blanched collard greens for a more Southern approach.


Tender black eyed peas, bell peppers, carrots, garlic and herbs wrapped up tightly in large cabbage leaves and braised in a spicy tomato sauce.

Creole Tomato Sauce
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 small shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 bay leaf
1 tbl creole seasoning
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1-15oz can tomato sauce
1 cup vegetable broth

Saute the shallot and garlic in olive oil until soft and translucent, 4-5 minutes. Add the herbs and seasonings and cook 1 minute more to toast. Add the tomato sauce and broth and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and pour the sauce into a 8x8 casserole dish.

Black Eyed Pea Cabbage Rolls
makes 9 rolls
1 head green cabbage
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1/2 large white onion, small dice
1 carrot, small dice
1 orange bell pepper, small dice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 small zucchini, small dice
1-15oz can black eyed peas, drained
1/2 cup vegetable broth
3 tbl chopped fresh parsley

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Submerge the entire whole cabbage in the water. Boil for 10 minutes then flip the cabbage over and boil 10 minutes more. Remove from the water. Once cool, trim off the stem end and peel apart large cabbage leaves. Carve out the thick stem in the middle of each leaf then overlap the leaf onto itself so there is no gap.
Saute the onion, carrot and bell pepper in oil until the vegetables start to become tender, 7 minutes. Add the garlic, parsley, pepper, salt and red pepper flakes. Add the zucchini and peas and saute 5 minutes more. Add the broth and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, 4-5 minutes. Add the parsley. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Preheat the oven to 350.
Fill the bottom third part of each cabbage leaf, fold in the sides then roll up like a burrito. Place each cabbage roll, seam side down in the casserole dish. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake 30 minutes more.