Spicy Blackeye Peas

I was looking for dry Blackeye Peas in the store yesterday and it appeared that they were sold out so I picked up a bag of pinto beans, resigned to ring-in the new year with those instead of the traditional Blackeyes. I headed over to the meat section to find smoked ham hocks or something else with which to cook the pintos, and I stumbled onto a stash of dry Blackeye Peas bags. I ditched the pintos and grabbed a bag. They were the economy brand at Farm Fresh, "Essential Everyday". I took a look at the back of the bag and there was a recipe for spicy blackeye peas that looked pretty solid. I prepared the recipe with a few changes, and they were delicious. If you are sensitive to heat, use 1/2 the amount of jalapenos and creole seasoning. Here is how I made mine and would be a better starting place than the recipe on the back of the bag.

Happy 2014 Y'all!

Ingredients:

      1/2 lb bacon, chopped
      1 c. Onion, diced
      1 c. Green Bell Pepper, diced

      1 c. Red Bell Pepper, diced

      1 c. Celery, diced
      1 c. Carrot, diced
      3 cloves Garlic, finely minced

      1 lb Blackeye Peas, soaked, rinsed and drained

      1 14.5 oz. can Diced Tomatoes, undrained
      1 4 oz. can Diced Jalapenos
      1 T. Creole Seasoning (Tony Chachere's)

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium high heat, saute bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels and set aside to use as a garnish.
2. Add onion, green and red bell peppers, celery and carrots and saute until onions are softened, about 5-8 minutes. Add garlic and saute about a minute more, be careful to not burn the garlic.
3. Add soaked peas, undrained tomatoes, jalapenos and the Creole seasoning, stir. Add enough water to just cover the peas and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat and simmer, covered about 1 1/2 hours or until peas are tender. Add additional water if needed during cooking. Serve over rice and with the reserved bacon as a garnish, if desired.

Matt

Uncle Matt's Poultry and Fish Rub

This is a great rub for poultry and fish, but it is particularly good for chicken cooked on the grill or in the oven.

Place the ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly with a wire whisk. Sift the mixture to insure an even mixing and to remove any lumps or large pieces. Check out Penzy's for high quality spices and mixes.

1 cup Turbinado Sugar
1/2 cup Onion Salt *
1/2 cup Garlic Salt *
1/2 cup Smoked or normal Paprika
2 tablespoons Chili Powder
2 tablespoons Poultry Seasoning
1 tablespoon Black pepper, ground **
1 tablespoon Coriander, ground **
1 tablespoon Dried Cayenne Pepper, ground **
1 tablespoon Thyme, ground **
1 tablespoon Marjoram, ground **
1 tablespoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt
1 tablespoon ground Bay Leaves, ground **
1/4 teaspoon Dried Habenero, ground **
1/4 teaspoon Citric Acid (optional)

*  If you can not get these salts, just use a 3 to 1 salt to dried spice ratio (3/8 cup salt and 1/8 cup dried spice). Try to use non-iodine salt so the rub will not discolor the meat.

** Best results are achieved when you start with whole spices and grind them yourself, but pre-ground spices will work as well.

Lauren's Winter Squash Soup

My niece, Lauren, wanted to make something for the Thanksgiving dinner, so we suggested that she make a soup. She asked around and her Oma found a recipe that looked great. It is sized to make 8 appetizer servings. Here it is:

Ingredients
2 T. Unsalted Butter
1 T Olive Oil
2 c. Chopped Onions
1.5 lbs Butternut squash, peeled and cut into cubes
3 c. chicken stock or broth
1 15 oz can of pumpkin puree
kosher salt, & fresh ground black pepper
1 c. Half & Half
Creme Fraiche, grated Gruyere, crisp cooked bacon or Croutons for serving or garnish

Directions
1. In saucepan heat butter and oil on medium low. Add onions and cook 10 minutes until translucent, stirring occasionally.
2. Add butternut squash, sock, pumpkin, 2 t. salt, 1/2 t. pepper and heat to boiling on medium high. Once boiling, reduce heat, cover and simmer on medium low 20 minutes or until squash is very tender, stirring occasionally. Process mixture with immersion blender until smooth.
3. Add Half & Half and heat slowly. Serve with garnishes, if any.

Garlic Aioli

This sauce is a great one for fancy burgers or chicken sandwiches, like the Blackened Chicken Sandwiches I have here on my site. It is easy to make if you have a mini food processor. If you only have a full sized one or blender, double this recipe and it will work better in the larger bowl. If you have a good whisk and glass bowl, you can do it the really old fashioned way.

Ingredients
3 garlic cloves, run through a garlic press
1 egg
1 teaspoon lemon juice, fresh if possible
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon water
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
Salt, to taste (1/2 teaspoon)
Ground black or White pepper, to taste (1/8 teaspoon)
1/2+ cup top quality extra virgin olive oil

Directions
Combine the garlic, egg, lemon juice, vinegar, water parsley, mustard and a little salt and pepper in a mini food processor and puree. Add the oil in a thin stream while spinning the mix in the processor. Go very slowly at first and then, as the emulsion forms, you can go a little bit faster. Continue to add oil and process until the mixture has formed a thick emulsion, you may need to add more oil depending on how large your egg was. The final product should have a consistency just a bit thinner than store bought mayonnaise. Add the salt and pepper to taste spinning it in the processor after each addition.

This recipe is based on Emeril Lagasse's

Spicy Sauces for The Cadets

I just finished a week of travelling and cooking for The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps (see blog). While I was with them, I made a few sauces to add a little zing to their meals and they seemed to like them and asked that I write down the recipes for them so future food volunteers can make them too. They are very simple:

Honey-Chipotle Sauce

1 can of "Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce"
1 5 pound bottle of honey
1/4 cup ketchup