My grandmother’s screened back porch was an adjunct to the kitchen. A red and white plastic gingham tablecloth covered a wooden table that served as overflow refrigerator space during cold weather months. I’d frequently see an apple pie, coconut cake, or some such dessert stored there. A white wicker rocker with a thick cushion sat in the corner, and an antique butter churn used for fermenting cabbage for sauerkraut occupied space by the door.
During the summer months of my childhood, many Southern folks were busy putting up food for the winter. Mature gardens yielded way more food than could be eaten, so tomatoes, peas, butter beans, green beans, beets, and cucumbers were frozen or canned and put away for cold weather.
To stock the freezer for winter, my grandmother acquired a bushel of peas every year from our “country” relatives. The ordeal started with a call for help with pea shelling. We’d sit on her back porch and shell until our fingers hurt. When they were free of their hulls, she’d blanch the peas, put them in freezer bags, and into the freezer they’d go.
Needless to say, black-eyed, crowder, purple hull and other varieties of peas were a staple year round for our family. Some form of peas were always on the New Year’s Day menu to bring about good luck in the coming year. They’re truly comfort food for me.
For today’s post, I made a Black-Eyed Pea and Collard Stew with Turkey Sausage. I like lots of stuff in soup and stews, and this stew is no exception. This hearty stew can be a complete meal by itself, or if you want to add a little something more, rice makes a great accompaniment.
Ingredients
4 uncooked mild Italian turkey sausages
3 strips thick cut bacon, roughly chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1 1-pound bag frozen black-eyed peas
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)
1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half
2 cups roughly chopped collard greens (thick stems removed)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
1. In a medium Dutch oven or heavy soup pot, cook sausages over medium high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, turning regularly to brown on all sides. Remove from Dutch oven and cool. When cooled, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch slices.
2. Transfer bacon to Dutch oven and brown until crisp, stirring regularly. Remove bacon and drain on paper towel. Discard all but 2 tablespoons bacon grease.
3. Return Dutch oven to heat. Add onions and bell pepper and saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and continue cooking for 3 to 4 minutes. Add chicken stock, peas, sausage, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until peas are tender.
4. Add tomatoes, collards, vinegar, and reserved bacon and continue simmering for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and serve immediately.
https://southernboydishes.com/2015/10/16/black-eyed-pea-and-collard-stew-with-turkey-sausage/You may also like:
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This is just a lovely site with such helpful recipes and respectful narratives. Thank you!
Thanks so much, Mary. I appreciate you dropping by.
Having some friends over for fried catfish this week and was planning on serving black-eyed peas as a side. I think this would be MUCH better!!!! Thanks!
Hope you and your partner are doing well Bill. Wishing you a wonderful holiday season!!!
This was DELICIOUS. I actually made a double batch so that I could freeze some. Used a mixture of spicy and mild chicken sausage and threw in 2 jalapeños for added kick.
Will definitely make again.
I’m so glad you liked the recipe, Anne! I really appreciate your feedback!