Showing posts with label black-eyed peas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label black-eyed peas. Show all posts
Saturday, January 5, 2013
MY 2013 NEW YEAR'S HOPPIN' JOHN, AND HOPPIN' JOHN SOUP WITH THE LEFTOVERS
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| My new Hoppin' John with cornbread (instead of rice) and mixed greens and garlic (chard, kale, rapini and spinach-- collards would be good, too) |
I decided to update my New Year's Hoppin' John this year-- to make it more flavorful and a little spicier. I've been using the same recipe that I devised back in the 90's (vegan Hoppin' John recipes were not so easy to find back then), so I thought it was about time for a makeover.
For some background on the dish, if you're not familiar, here's the write-up from my book, The Almost No-Fat Holiday Cookbook:
"There are several universal customs that link
New Year's festivities from country to country-- loud noise-making; partying,
feasting and drinking; dressing up in costume or new clothes; paying off old
debts; and eating beans! Yes, strange as
it may seem, there is a long association between beans and good luck on New
Year's Day.
In
Japan it has been the custom for the head of the house to go through all of the rooms
at midnight of New Year's Eve scattering roasted beans about and chanting
"Oni wa soto, fuka wa uchi" ("Out with the demons! In with the
Luck!").
In Northern Europe families or communities selected a King,
and sometimes also a Queen, of Bean, "the nobilities of Misrule", who
presided over games and revels.
In
the Southern United States even today it is
the custom [and it has obviously spread to other parts of North America!] to eat black-eyed peas, usually in the form of a dish called Hoppin'
John, for good luck in the New Year. The
spicy black-eyed peas and rice (with the greens that often accompany them) were
brought to the South by African slaves.
The English-Irish-Scottish slave-owners brought their Celtic and
Anglo-Saxon customs of eating beans for good luck and hopping over the dying
embers of New Year bonfires, also for good luck. It seems reasonable to assume that this is
the origin of the name Hoppin' John (the Anglo-Saxon word "hoppan"
meant a religious dance or leap)-- a blending of African foods and European
lore." It should be noted that red peas, cowpeas or field peas, all relatives of black-eyed peas, were and are also used in Hoppin' John, but black-eyed peas are more easily available to most North Americans.
Here is a little additional lore: "In the American South, greens are added to black-eyed peas or
hoppin' John (black-eyed peas with rice). The symbolism is straightforward: the
greens represented dollars and the black-eyed peas coins. Dried beans,
garnished or plain, represent the changing over of years, for they can be
stored throughout the winter and then be planted to create the harvest."
http://www.foodtimeline.org/newyear.html#luck
And even more: "The "good luck" traditions of eating black-eyed peas at Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, are recorded in the Babylonian Talmud (compiled circa500 CE), Horayot 12A: "Abaye [d. 339 CE] said, now that you have established that good-luck symbols avail, you should make it a habit to see qara(bottle gourd), rubiya (black-eyed peas, Arabic lubiya), kartei (leeks), silka (either beets or spinach), and tamrei (dates) on your table on the New Year." However, the custom may have resulted from an early mis-translation of the Aramaic word rubiya (fenugreek)."
And even more: "The "good luck" traditions of eating black-eyed peas at Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, are recorded in the Babylonian Talmud (compiled circa500 CE), Horayot 12A: "Abaye [d. 339 CE] said, now that you have established that good-luck symbols avail, you should make it a habit to see qara(bottle gourd), rubiya (black-eyed peas, Arabic lubiya), kartei (leeks), silka (either beets or spinach), and tamrei (dates) on your table on the New Year." However, the custom may have resulted from an early mis-translation of the Aramaic word rubiya (fenugreek)."
We ate cornbread instead of rice with the peas this year and I just read this tidbit: "One more from the Southerners: eating cornbread will bring wealth." That makes me feel better (just kidding)!
So, here's my new recipe, and below that is a delicious soup I made with the leftovers.
BRYANNA'S HOPPIN' JOHN SOUP
Serves 4
So easy, so good!
3 1/2 cups leftover Hoppin' John (see above)
3 1/2 cups tasty vegan broth (I like Better Than Bouillon "No-Chicken" vegan broth base)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
9 ounces sweet potato (orange flesh), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
4 ounces Swiss chard (weighed after large stalks are removed) or other fresh greens, washed, drained and thinly sliced
1/2 tablespoon cider vinegar
about 3 cups hot cooked brown rice (I used a combo of brown Basmati and Thai red rice)
smoked paprika
Mix together the ingredients in a medium pot, bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Stir in the vinegar and taste for salt and chile heat-- add a little hot sauce if you like.
To serve, divide the soup between 4 soup bowls or plates. Measure some of the rice in a 2/3 cup measure. Pack it down firmly. Overturn the measuring cup in the center of each bowl and whack the bottom of it with the heavy end of a table knife to loosen it from the cup. Sprinkle a bit of the smoked paprika across the soup and the rice and serve.
Happy New Year!
So, here's my new recipe, and below that is a delicious soup I made with the leftovers.
BRYANNA'S 2013 NEW YEAR'S VEGAN HOPPIN' JOHN
Serves about 8
8 cups tasty vegan broth (I like Better Than Bouillon "No-Chicken" vegan broth base)
2 1/2 cups dried black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
Optional: 1/4 cup vegan "bacon bits" or 1 cup of chopped vegan "ham"
1 teaspoon liquid smoke (if you're not familiar with this product, read this post)
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried red chili flakes (use more if your sausage is not as spicy as the Field Roast Chipotle)
4 teaspoons dark sesame oil
2 spicy vegan sausages, sliced 1/4-inch thick (I used Field Roast Chipotle sausages, which make the stew really spicy)
1/3 of a (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1/3 of a (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1 tablespoon ketchup (Do not omit! This little bit of the tomato-ey condiment rounds out the flavor nicely.)
In a large pot, mix together the broth, black-eyed peas, optional "bacon bits" or "ham", and liquid smoke. Bring to a boil.
While that's heating, saute the onions, garlic and chili flakes in the dark sesame oil in a heavy nonstick, cast iron or hard-anodized skillet over medium-high heat until the onions are softened. Alternatively, you can soften them in the oil in a covered microwave-proof casserole for about 6 minutes on 100% power.
Add the softened onions to the pot with the black-eyed peas. Add the sliced sausages, tomato paste and ketchup. Bring to a boil, turn down to a low simmer, cover and cook for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the beans are tender.
Serve with steamed long grain brown rice or cornbread, and braised greens.
UPDATE: You can make this in the Instant Pot or a pressure cooker. Saute the onions, garlic and chili flakes in the oil in the Instant Pot on the Saute function. Add the remaining ingredients and cook at High pressure (using the Bean or Manual function on the Instant Pot) for 20 minutes. Let the pressure come down for at least 10 minutes before you release the steam.
And here is the soup recipe you can make with the leftovers:
UPDATE: You can make this in the Instant Pot or a pressure cooker. Saute the onions, garlic and chili flakes in the oil in the Instant Pot on the Saute function. Add the remaining ingredients and cook at High pressure (using the Bean or Manual function on the Instant Pot) for 20 minutes. Let the pressure come down for at least 10 minutes before you release the steam.
And here is the soup recipe you can make with the leftovers:
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| Hoppin' John Soup that we ate for lunch today, with rice this time |
BRYANNA'S HOPPIN' JOHN SOUP
Serves 4
So easy, so good!
3 1/2 cups leftover Hoppin' John (see above)
3 1/2 cups tasty vegan broth (I like Better Than Bouillon "No-Chicken" vegan broth base)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
9 ounces sweet potato (orange flesh), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
4 ounces Swiss chard (weighed after large stalks are removed) or other fresh greens, washed, drained and thinly sliced
1/2 tablespoon cider vinegar
about 3 cups hot cooked brown rice (I used a combo of brown Basmati and Thai red rice)
smoked paprika
Mix together the ingredients in a medium pot, bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Stir in the vinegar and taste for salt and chile heat-- add a little hot sauce if you like.
To serve, divide the soup between 4 soup bowls or plates. Measure some of the rice in a 2/3 cup measure. Pack it down firmly. Overturn the measuring cup in the center of each bowl and whack the bottom of it with the heavy end of a table knife to loosen it from the cup. Sprinkle a bit of the smoked paprika across the soup and the rice and serve.
Happy New Year!
Thursday, September 20, 2012
BLACKEYED PEA AND SWEET POTATO SOUP
Evenings are cool these days, even though the days are warm and sunny. As a consequence, I'm pulling out the soup pot more often. I do love soup, and find soup-making a wonderful way to use leftovers and bits and pieces that need using-up. I make large pots of soups of all kinds and my husband and I take leftovers for work lunches.
This soup was developed for a group of recipes I did for the book "Dr. Neal Barnard's Program for Reversing Heart Disease", which featured recipes that were not only vegan, but also fat-free, high-fiber, and low in salt and sugar, which was a challenge, because I wanted everything to taste yummy and full-bodied, too!
I wanted this soup to showcase time-honored Southern foods and flavors, which not only meld nicely with each other, but are colorful and eye-appealing as well. The soup is super fast and easy to make, economical, and very satisfying-- a whole-meal soup which could be accompanied by a scoop of rice in the middle of the soup plate, if you like, or some hot cornbread. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Printable Recipe
BRYANNA'S BLACK-EYED PEA AND SWEET POTATO SOUP
(A slightly altered version of the recipe I developed for "Dr. Neal Barnard's Program for Reversing Heart Disease" [Rodale Press, NY, 2007])
Serves 6
This delectable, but easy soup contains Southern elements-- black-eyed peas, smoky flavors, sweet potatoes, and greens.
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups chicken-style vegetarian broth
1/4 cup tomato paste
3 cups cooked or canned, drained black-eyed peas ( 2/ 15 ounce cans)
2 tablespoons vegan bacon bits, a handful of chopped vegan "ham", or a few dashes liquid smoke
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried red chile flakes (optional-- see below)
4 ounces kale, collards, or other dark greens, cleaned, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 pound sweet potato, peeled and diced
OPTIONAL:
1 to 2 spicy vegan sausages, sliced 1/4"-thick
(I like Field Roast Chipotle Sausages in this, but Tofurky Spicy Italian are good, too. If you use the Field Roast sausages, you might want to use fewer chile flakes, or omit them altogether, because they are quite hot.)
Steam-fry the onion and garlic in in a large heavy nonstick, cast iron or hard-anodized aluminum skillet sprayed with oil from a pump sprayer, or with cooking spray, until soft. (To steam-fry, saute over high heat, adding squirts of water as you cook-- just enough to keep the onions from sticking, but not enough to "stew' them.) Or, use the microwave option and place in a covered microwave-safe dish (such as a Pyrex casserole, or Pyrex pie plate covered with a Pyrex pot lid or another Pyrex pie plate, upside-down) and microwave at 100% power for 5 minutes.
Add the cooked onion and garlic to a large pot along with the broth, tomato paste, black-eyed peas, soy bacon bits, "ham" or liquid smoke, oregano, bay leaf, salt, chile flakes, greens, sweet potato, and vegetarian sausage. Simmer for 30 minutes, or until the sweet potato is tender.
Taste for salt and serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts (Nutrition facts calculated using the optional 2 veggie "sausages".)
Nutrition (per serving): 260.1 calories; 9% calories from fat; 3.0g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 486.2mg sodium; 782.4mg potassium; 43.6g carbohydrates; 9.8g fiber; 8.1g sugar; 32.8g net carbs; 18.4g protein; 4.7 points.
Enjoy!
Monday, March 14, 2011
A DELICIOUS INDIAN MEAL WITH FRIENDS; CREAMY VEGAN GUJARTI-STYLE PUDDING RECIPE
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| A plateful of flavor! |
It was a great evening and we ate almost everything! I made Goan Black-Eyed Peas with Coconut from "The Indian Slow Cooker
", which was super-easy to make and delicious (and made a very generous amount!). My only criticism was that it was a bit on the salty side (and I'm not a no-salt person!)-- maybe there was a typo. |
| My 2 latest cookbook purchases |
The vegetable dish was perfect-- quick and easy, flavorful, and utilizing staple veggies such as cabbage, carrots and frozen peas. This was the Cabbage Mixed Vegetables from my new copy of "The Indian Vegan Kitchen
". |
| Sunji--Spicy mixed vegetables |
". It contained spinach, carrots, green onions, radishes and other goodies-- very good! Since I can't obtain a good tangy plain vegan yogurt, I used my Tofu Sour Cream instead of yogurt. |
| Vegan vegetable raita |
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| The original of the raita recipe is from this book. |
I served the meal with some chutney I had in the refrigerator, poppadoms crisped in the microwave, and brown basmati rice.
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| Little poppadams crisped in the microwave with no fat |
. The traditional dish is a thick, sweet mixture made from drained yogurt. My original recipe was not quite thick enough, I decided, so I revised it to squeeze much of the liquid out of the creamy silken tofu before blending it with the other ingredients. I also added rose water and a little tahini (or you can use almond butter instead) for more flavor and richness. We were more than happy with the results! I hope you like it, too.
Printable Recipe
BRYANNA'S TOFU SHRIKAND (GUJARATI "YOGURT" PUDDING)
Servings: 4
This delicious pudding is traditionally made with a rich drained yogurt. This vegan version utilizes drained silken tofu and lemon juice for a smooth, rich-tasting and tangy dessert that has amazed some friends who are devotees of good Indian cuisine. You have some lee-way with the sugar content in this recipe.
2 (12.3 oz.) boxes extra-firm silken tofu
, crumbled, drained and squeezed as directed below
, crumbled, drained and squeezed as directed below
1/2 to 2/3 cup light organic unbleached sugar
OR organic powdered sugar 
1/4 cup lemon juice
OR organic powdered sugar 1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons tahini
or almond butter
or almond butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pure almond extract
1/4 tsp grated fresh nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp Spanish saffron
soaked in
soaked in
1 tablespoon hot nondairy milk
OPTIONAL:
4 tsp rose water
GARNISH:
grated lemon zest (preferably organic) and/or chopped toasted pistachio nuts or almonds
grated nutmeg
Line a colander
with clean cotton sheeting or fine cheesecloth
, with some over-hang. Place the colander in the sink. Crumble the silken tofu into the cloth-lined colander. Gather up the ends of the cloth and twist the cloth and squeeze to extract the water from the tofu. Twist and squeeze until you get as much liquid as possible out of the tofu. Place the squeezed tofu into a food processor
.
with clean cotton sheeting or fine cheesecloth, with some over-hang. Place the colander in the sink. Crumble the silken tofu into the cloth-lined colander. Gather up the ends of the cloth and twist the cloth and squeeze to extract the water from the tofu. Twist and squeeze until you get as much liquid as possible out of the tofu. Place the squeezed tofu into a food processor.
Transfer all of the remaining ingredients to the food processor and blend until VERY smooth. Scoop it evenly into 4 decorative pudding dishes or goblets. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours. Garnish before serving.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 240.3 calories; 25% calories from fat; 6.9g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 352.4mg sodium; 323.6mg potassium; 31.9g carbohydrates; 0.9g fiber; 27.2g sugar; 30.9g net carbs; 14.4g protein; 5.2 points.
Enjoy!
Friday, December 10, 2010
RECIPES I MADE FROM 2 COOKBOOKS I RECOMMEND, AND A NEW TOOL
Last night we had dinner at our good friends Yoshi and Susan-Marie's house. Our hosts provided the bulk of the meal, our friends David and Carmen brought a lovely green salad, and I brought a bean dish and a simple dessert. The dinner wasn't Japanese, but was served somewhat in the Japanese style, with a number of small vegetable dishes to complement the rice. Yoshi made a delicious rice dish with yuba (beancurd skin) and mushrooms, and Susan-Marie served it with; a sweet and sour tomato soup with potatoes, steamed winter squash, marinated leeks and crostini. Most of the produce she used was grown in their own garden. The leeks tasted almost like marinated artichokes... so good!
I brought a dish I blogged about before-- Madhur Jaffrey's Black-Eyed Peas with Corn and Dill from her book "World Vegetarian". I've been reading (and owning) Ms. Jaffrey's books for years, but "World Vegetarian" is my favorite. It's not confined to Indian cuisine, with over 600 recipes from five continents with endless flavor combinations for beans, vegetables and grains (and dairy, too-- but you can ignore that chapter or use vegan subs). This encyclopedic volume it is arranged so that you can look up the chapter, say, on "Dried Beans, Dried Peas, Lentils and Nuts" and check for, in my case this time, recipes featuring black-eyed peas, and you will find a few recipes utilizing whatever is the particular item you have in mind and in your pantry. You always find a new surprise because you are always looking at it in a different frame of mind from the last time!
The recipe I made (on p. 19) is one of my favorites. It's made with items that I always have in my cupboard and freezer (corn, dill, chiles, onions, etc.),and it's full of flavor and texture, but very easy to make. Diners are always surprised by the goodness of this homey but spicy dish.
For dessert I brought the pineapple upside-down cake from Tamasin Noyes' recent and very popular book, "American Vegan Kitchen
". It was easy to make and turned out beautifully-- as you can see from the photo! The only changes I made were to use half wholewheat pastry flour in the batter, and substitute dried cranberries for the cherries in the topping. Our hostess asked me for the recipe because she, though not a vegan, would prefer to make this without the eggs and so much fat as her normal recipe. We ate the whole thing!
". It was easy to make and turned out beautifully-- as you can see from the photo! The only changes I made were to use half wholewheat pastry flour in the batter, and substitute dried cranberries for the cherries in the topping. Our hostess asked me for the recipe because she, though not a vegan, would prefer to make this without the eggs and so much fat as her normal recipe. We ate the whole thing!
Tamasin's book is well-written, with clear instructions, lots of homemade basics (so you don't have to go buy all your components!), and the kind of recipes most us in North America remember with nostalgia!
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Here's a photo of my homemade Almond Creme whipped topping on top of a trifle (UPDATE: recipe from my book "World Vegan Feast", and shared here:
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NEW KITCHEN TOOL (GOT MY CHRISTMAS PRESENT EARLY!):
My new Cinnamon Red KitchenAid Wide-Mouth 12-cup food processor!
A few months ago my food processor died and I had to decide on a new one. The KitchenAid got rave reviews, but I couldn't afford the 12-cup one (over $300 in Canada!), so I got the 7-cup one with a small extra bowl for chopping small amounts. It's a great machine, but I missed having more room to do large batches, and my stepson said he'd buy my smaller one. Cook's Illustrated magazine reviewed food processors and gave the 12-cupper a rave review-- even better than the largest Cuisinart! Now they have one with "the largest feed-tube in the business!", called a "wide mouth"-- you can practically put 1/2 a small cabbage in there! I searched and searched for the best prices, locally and online, debating whether to go for the older 12-cupper, or the new wide-mouth. Price WAS an issue, even though I expect to get alot of years out of it.
Well, long story short, I found the wide-mouth (in Cinnamon Red-- not a popular color, I guess!) on eBay, IN CANADA (wonder of wonders), brand-new, in the box, for $179 (which included shipping!). That included all the 3 slicing and shredding discs, an egg whip (have to try it with egg replacer!), and a citrus press. (You can get this same one in white
in the States from amazon.com for $199 in the States; or in Candy Apple red
, with 4 discs for $228. But it was $273.75 Cnd. from amazon.ca and $379 in alot of places in Canada!. So, I'm happy, and my stepson is happy!
in the States from amazon.com for $199 in the States; or in Candy Apple red, with 4 discs for $228. But it was $273.75 Cnd. from amazon.ca and $379 in alot of places in Canada!. So, I'm happy, and my stepson is happy!
It should get a work-out during the holiday season, and looks very Christmasy, too!
Monday, May 7, 2007
USING BEANS IN EVERYDAY RECIPES-- A SOUP AND A DIP
Here are two bean recipes we've been enjoying in the last couple of days:
Printable Recipe
BRYANNA'S EASY BLACKEYED-PEASY DIP
This dip is inexpensive, a bit spicy, creamy, and full of fiber! I like using blackeyed peas because they don't need to be soaked, and they cook quickly.
2 1/2 cups drained canned or cooked blackeyed peas
1/2 of a 12.3 oz. box extra-firm SILKEN tofu (regular or lite)
1 1/2 Tbs fresh or organic bottled lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp. garlic granules
1/4 tsp sugar
3/4 cup chunky no-sugar tomato salsa (medium to hot)
2 large green onions, chopped (white and green)
2 Tbs vegan "bacon bits"
Place the drained blackeyed peas, tofu, lemon juice, salt, garlic granules, and sugar in a food processor. Process until smooth. Add the onions and pulse. Add the salsa and soy bacon bits and pulse again. Scoop into a bowl. Cover and chill. Serve with baked tortilla chips, wholegrain bagel or pita chips, or raw vegetable dippers.
Yield: 3 1/2 cups
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per 1/4 cup): 52.9 calories; 11% calories from fat; 0.7g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 285.6mg sodium; 137.8mg potassium; 8.1g carbohydrates; 2.3g fiber; 1.8g sugar; 5.8g net carbs; 3.9g protein; 0.7 points.
Printable Recipe
BRYANNA'S LEVANTINE-STYLE BEAN SOUP (a Canadian version of Shorbat Hummus wa Fool)
Servings: 8
This is a delicious and colorful soup. I used dried split yellow peas instead of the traditional dried fava beans, which are hard to find in my neck of the woods. When cooked down, they taste very similar. PS: "The Levant consists today of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, Palestine, Cyprus, Hatay Province and other parts of southern Turkey, some regions of northwestern Iraq and the Sinai Peninsula." (Basically, the Eastern Mediterranean region.) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levant
1 cup split yellow peas
1 Tbs olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/ 28 oz. can diced tomatoes (save the juice)
1/2 Tbs dried mint (or 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint or cilantro, minced)
1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
6 cups water
2 cups good vegetarian broth
2 1/2 cups drained canned or cooked chickpeas
1 lb. red-skinned potatoes, scrubbed and diced
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano, rubbed between your fingers
1/2 Tbs salt, or to taste
freshly-ground black pepper to taste
Rinse the split peas and leave to soak in plenty of water overnight.
Heat the oil in a large heavy pot and saute the onions until almost soft, adding the garlic towards the end. Add the drained tomatoes, the mint, and the optional cayenne pepper, if using. Cook down for 10-15 minutes. Add water, broth, and reserved tomato juice, bring to a boil, then add the drained, soaked split peas. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 hours, or until the peas are tender.
Add the chickpeas and the diced potatoes, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the oregano, salt and pepper. Taste for seasoning.
(I like to remove most of the chunky solids from the soup with a slotted spoon and blend the remaining soup with a hand immersion blender until smooth, then add the solids back to the soup.)
Serve immediately with good bread. You can garnish each bowl with a sprinkling of chopped fresh cilantro, minto or parsley, or some dried mint.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 277.3 calories; 11% calories from fat; 3.7g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 831.7mg sodium; 1047.4mg potassium; 50.2g carbohydrates; 13.6g fiber; 9.7g sugar; 36.6g net carbs; 14.0g protein; 5.1 points.
Enjoy!
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