Name: Black-eyed Peas with Allspice and Grilled Onion Salsa
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 85 min
Total time: 105 min
Ingredients: 300 g black-eyed peas (soaked overnight in cold water to cover by 3cm and ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda); 3 tbsp olive oil; 2 cinnamon sticks; 4 fresh bay leaves; 1 scotch bonnet chilli (pierced with 2-3 small slits); 10 garlic cloves (peeled and crushed); 2 tsp ground allspice; 1 litre chicken stock (or vegetable stock to make the dish vegan); Salt and black pepper; 30 g crispy fried onions (shop-bought or homemade, chopped very roughly); 1 tbsp coriander seeds (toasted and roughly crushed in a mortar); 2 red onions (peeled and cut into 2cm-thick rounds (300g)); 60 ml olive oil (plus extra for greasing); 250 g datterini (or cherry tomatoes, ideally a mix of red and yellow); 4 tbsp 15g roughly chopped parsley; 2-3 lemons (1 cut into wedges, to serve, the rest juiced, to get 2 tbsp)

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Black-eyed Peas with Allspice and Grilled Onion Salsa

Here, the humble black-eyed pea is combined with heat, smoke and warming aromatics, and cooked low and slow, to leave you with a meal that is both nutritious and hearty with a seriously flavourful broth. You’ll need to soak the beans overnight.

Prep Time20

Cook Time1 25

Total Time1 45

Course: Main Course

Servings: 4 people

Author: Yotam Ottolenghi

Ingredients

300 g black-eyed peas soaked overnight in cold water to cover by 3cm and ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
3 tbsp olive oil
2 cinnamon sticks
4 fresh bay leaves
1 scotch bonnet chilli pierced with 2-3 small slits
10 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
2 tsp ground allspice
1 litre chicken stock or vegetable stock to make the dish vegan
Salt and black pepper
30 g crispy fried onions shop-bought or homemade, chopped very roughly
1 tbsp coriander seeds toasted and roughly crushed in a mortar

For the grilled onion salsa

2 red onions peeled and cut into 2cm-thick rounds (300g)
60 ml olive oil plus extra for greasing
250 g datterini or cherry tomatoes, ideally a mix of red and yellow
4 tbsp 15g roughly chopped parsley
2-3 lemons 1 cut into wedges, to serve, the rest juiced, to get 2 tbsp

Instructions

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6 and drain the soaked beans.
Put the oil, cinnamon, bay leaves and chilli in a medium-sized ovenproof cast-iron pan for which you have a lid, and set it over a medium-high heat. Once hot, add the garlic and cook, stirring, for a minute, until fragrant and lightly coloured. Stir in the allspice, cook for 20 seconds, then add the beans, stock, 200ml water and a teaspoon and a half of salt, and bring up to a simmer. Cover the pan, then transfer to the oven for 50 minutes, until the beans are soft but still retain their shape. Remove the lid, turn up the heat to 220C (200C fan)/425F/gas 7, then bake uncovered for 20 minutes more, so the liquid reduces slightly – it should still be quite brothy.
Meanwhile, make the salsa. Put a well-greased griddle pan on a high heat. Gently toss the onions in a bowl with a tablespoon and a half of oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper, then grill in the hot pan for four minutes on each side, until softened and nicely charred. Tip into a medium bowl, and roughly separate the rings. Toss the tomatoes with a half-tablespoon of oil, and grill for five minutes, turning regularly, until nicely charred and just starting to burst. Tip the tomatoes into the onion bowl, then add the parsley, lemon juice, the last two tablespoons of oil, a third of a teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper, and toss gently to combine.
In a small bowl, mix the fried onions and coriander seeds.
When the beans are ready, remove and discard the scotch bonnet, bay leaves and cinnamon; if you like, chop up half or all of the chilli and add it to the salsa, but beware: it is very hot.
Divide the beans between four bowls and top each serving with a large spoonful of salsa, a sprinkle of the fried onion mixture and a lemon wedge.