Black-Eyed Pea and Ham Hock Stew
Instructions:
Black-eyed peas are a popular American legume,
originally from China but brought to the States
via the slave trade.
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
1 quart (4 cups) vegetable broth
31⁄2 cups canned diced tomatoes, drained in
a fi ne-mesh colander in the sink
1 cup dried black-eyed peas
2 teaspoons stemmed thyme or 1 teaspoon
dried thyme
1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
One 1-pound smoked ham hock, preferably
nitrate-free
1 garlic head, roasted
Makes 6 servings
- Heat a large saucepan or soup pot over medium heat. Swirl in the peanut oil, then add the onion and celery. Cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the broth, tomatoes, black-eyed peas, thyme, and cayenne; bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. Nestle the ham hock into the stew; then cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
- Remove the hock from the stew; cut the meat off the bone and shred it into small bits. Stir these back into the stew. Also, squeeze the roasted garlic out of the papery hulls and into the stew.
- Stir well, cover, and continue simmering, stirring occasionally, until the black-eyed peas are quite tender and the stew has thickened somewhat, about 30 minutes.