No Croutons Required - Black-Eyed Peas

The challenge for January was to make a soup or salad featuring black-eyed peas. Thought to bring good luck for the new year, this delicious legume can be enjoyed anytime of year. The possibilities are endless. Please vote for your favorite recipe in the comment section or via email. Thanks to everyone who found the time to enter this month. Please note that my recipe is not eligible for voting.

Our first entry is from Janet of The Taste Space. I could not resist this Trinidadian Black-Eyed Pea Stew. Adapted from one of my favorite cookbooks, this dish is made up of black-eyed peas, green pepper, onion, carrots, veggie broth, brown rice, ginger, allspice, thyme, mustard, Aleppo chili flakes and garnished with fresh chives, cilantro and lime or lemon wedges. I totally understand the need to purge the kitchen from time to time, but I too procrastinate. Such a lovely and nourishing dish. (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)

Our next entry is from Vnv of Veggie Monologues. As I always enjoy cooking South Indian dishes, I immediately fell in love with this Black-eyed Peas dish with Daikon Radish. Here we have black-eyed peas, daikon radish, ginger, green chilies, cilantro, turmeric and for the tempering, mustard seeds, urad dal, red chilies, asafetida and curry leaves. This recipe was adapted from another of my favorite cookbooks. (Bay Area, CA, USA)

My submission this month is this mouthwatering and warming Black-Eyed Pea Soup with Tomatoes and Spices. Easy to prepare, this dish consists of black-eyed peas, onion, Jalapeno peppers, carrots, fresh parsley, tomatoes, veggie stock, celery seed, brown rice, ginger, allspice, thyme, mustard powder, cayenne, cumin, turmeric, hot sauce, corn, fresh lemon juice, fresh chives and Parmesan for garnish. A nourishing and balanced dish in one bowl. Perfect for this dismal time of year. (London, Ontario, Canada)

My dear friend Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook offers up this gorgeous Turkish Black-Eyed Pea Salad with Pomegranate, Walnuts and Zahtar Dressing. Black-eyed peas, scallions, walnuts, pomegranate arils and parsley are dressed with olive oil, fresh lemon juice, zahtar, salt and black pepper. Certainly a classic dish and I want to make it right now. Susan always comes up with unique recipes. (New York, USA)

Sweatha from Tasty Curry Leaf is hoping for good luck with this delightful Money Salad. I could not resist this combination of Black-eyed peas, red onion, celery, roasted red pepper, cilantro, cumin, hot sauce, fresh ginger, and salt and pepper. Easy to prepare, filling and nourishing. (Bangalore, India)

Our last entry is this creative Black-eyed Pea Butternut Squash and Israeli Couscous Soup with Spinach Pesto from Lynne of Cafe Lynnylu. Certainly a meal in a bowl, here we have black-eyed peas cooked with onion, garlic and bay leaves. After discarding the onion, garlic and bay leaves, the next step is to heat olive oil in a large pot, and then toss in onions, carrots, celery, leeks then garlic and the squash. Fresh thyme is added along with crushed red pepper, vegetable stock and tomato paste. After that, Israeli couscous is added and then the cooked beans. This delightful soup is then topped with a pesto made up of spinach, garlic and walnuts. As I happen to have a good supply of walnuts on hand, I will for sure be trying this dish. (Augusta, Ga, USA)

Jacqueline will be hosting the next edition of No Croutons Required. Check back at the beginning of the month for the theme for February.