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.

Black Eyed Pea Stew, Blackened Brussels, Collard Shoestrings with Rock Salt

Thick, hearty stew with black eyed peas, carrots, green peppers, celery and onion. Shredded collard shoestrings tossed in rock salt and brussel sprouts, blackened and roasted.

Black Eyed Pea Stew

2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, small dice
1 carrot, small dice
1 celery stalk, small dice
1/2 green pepper, small dice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp file powder
1 cup canned diced tomatoes
1 cup vegetable broth
2-15oz cans black eyed peas, drained, divided

In a large soup pot, heat the oil and saute the onions with a pinch of salt until soft and translucent. Add the carrots, celery and green pepper and saute 10 minutes more until the vegetables just start to soften. Add the garlic, salt, pepper, cumin and file powder and stir to combine. Saute 3 minutes more. Deglaze the bottom of the pan with the vegetable broth and add the diced tomatoes and 1 1/2 cans of black eyed peas. Bring the stew to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, for 20 minutes.
Transfer the soup to a blender or use an immersion blender and puree the stew 80%. You want to obtain the consistency of bean dip. Once done, add the remaining 1/2 can of peas and simmer for 5 minutes more. Taste and adjust seasonings and serve.

Blackened Brussels

9 brussel sprouts, ends slightly trimmed and outer leaves removed
1 tbl creole seasoning
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp liquid smoke

If putting on skewers: soak wood skewers for 20 minutes so they don't burn in the oven.
Preheat the oven to 375 and line a baking sheet with foil.
Combine the creole seasoning with salt and pepper. In another small bowl, combine the oil and liquid smoke.
Put 3 brussel sprouts on each skewer then coat individually with the seasoning mix on all sides.
Lay on the baking sheet and drizzle all the sprouts with the oil/liquid smoke.
Roast in the oven for 15 minutes, turning once after 7 minutes.

Collard Shoestrings with Rock Salt

1/2 bunch collards, stems removed and thinly sliced
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
2 tbl nutritional yeast
2 tsp rock salt or coarse sea salt

Preheat the oven to 375.
Toss the collard greens with the remaining ingredients and lay in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with foil.
Bake for 15 minutes or until crisp and chip-like.