VEGETARIAN BLACK EYED PEAS RECIPE RECIPES

Steps:

• Decide on cooking method (crock pot or stove top) and if you'll soak the peas or not. Soaking isn't necessary, but If soaking, soak overnight in enough water to cover the peas by about four inches (1.5cm). Rinse and drain the peas before cooking. Soaking reduces the cook time only slightly.
• To Cook the PeasMeasure, rinse and sort through the peas making sure they are free of stones and dirt. Choose method A or B to cook the peas. A. For the Crock Pot: Add the black eyed peas, garlic, onion, bell pepper, Tabasco, salt, liquid smoke, mustard, bayleaf and veggie broth (5 cups of broth/water if using unsoaked peas, 4 cups if using soaked peas) to the slow cooker. Give the ingredients a stir, place the lid on the slow cooker. Unsoaked Peas: Cook on high for about 4 -5 hours or low for about 6-7 hours. Soaked Peas: Cook on high for about 3 1/2 - 4 1/2 hours or low for about 5 1/2 - 6 1/2 hours.B. For the Stove Top: In a medium saucepot or Dutch oven, add the black eyed peas, garlic, onion, bell pepper, Tabasco, salt, liquid smoke, mustard, bayleaf and veggie broth (5 cups of broth/water if using unsoaked peas, 4 cups if using soaked peas) . Bring to a boil, turn down to low or to a low simmer and cook for 45 minutes to one hour, uncovered. If the peas start drying out add more broth/water as needed. Soaked peas take just a little bit less time than unsoaked peas to cook.
• Age of beans and variations in slow cooker temperature will effect how long the beans need to cook before they're done. Start checking the peas before indicated cooking times are complete. Taste the beans for texture. The beans are ready when they're tender, still have a tooth yet are not mushy. Taste for salt adjustment.
• Serve the peas with or without their broth, garnish with parsley. Peas can also be served as a soup. Simply puree about 2-3 cups in a blender and return the puree' to soup pot with the remaining whole peas. Stir and ladle into soup bowls.
• Store in a lidded container in the refrigerator for up to three days or in the freezer for up to two weeks. 

Steps:

• In a 4 qt or pan brown bacon and cook onion in bacon grease until the onion is transparent. ** For vegan, omit bacon and use approximately 1/4 cup of vegetable oil to cook onion.
• Add uncooked rice, black eyed peas (with juice) and water to your bacon onion mixture. Mix well. **For vegan add liquid smoke at this point to replace the smoke flavor that would have been added by the bacon.
• Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium.
• When the tops of the bursting bubbles of boiling water are all of the liquid that can be seen above the rice, remove the pan from the heat and cover.
• Wait at least twenty minutes, WITHOUT PEEKING!
• Don't do it. You'll loose precious heat and steam.
• Serve with bread of your choice, or with the veggies of your choice and plenty of hot sauce. Of course, the variety of hot sauce you choose will depend on your tolerance for heat. If you would like, this could be served as a side dish, as well.