Field Peas & Snap Beans

Directions:

1. In a colander, pick over the peas and discard any misshapen or discolored peas. Rinse well and transfer to a large saucepan.
2. Add the salt pork, chopped onion, dried chili pepper, and 6 cups of cold water. Add more water as needed to cover the peas.
3. Cover tightly, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 40 minutes.
4. Add the snap beans and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until the peas and snap beans are tender.
5. Do not skim off the fat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Note from the author:

I grew up eating field peas and years later in culinary school I found out that Field peas and Crowder peas are the same pea. I also learned that it doesn’t matter if you start with fresh, frozen, or dried field peas, they always turn a muddy color when they’re cooked. It made me realize that my grandmother always added snap beans (or string beans) to her pot of peas to provide a bright spot of color.

From Field Peas to Foie Gras: Southern Recipes with a French Accent by Jennifer Hill Booker, photography by Deborah Whitlaw Llewellyn (Pelican Publishing, 2014).

Chef Jennifer Hill Booker is a Le Cordon Bleu-certified chef, cookbook author, reality TV personality, culinary educator, business owner and GA Grown Executive Chef for the GA Department of Tourism and Travel. She weaves her love of traditional Southern cuisine with her belief in incorporating healthy, seasonal foods and her classic French training.