Monday, December 29, 2014

Blackeye Pea Gumbo


      For good luck and prosperity in the upcoming year, my Southern friends traditionally eat blackeye peas on New Year's Day.  More like a jambalaya than a gumbo, this very easy recipe from Bush's can be tweaked and adapted to suit your needs.  If you're a vegetarian, substitute with vegetable broth and if you want a heartier more stick to your ribs kind of meal, add sliced, cooked kielbasa and raw shrimp during the last 10-15 minutes of cooking time.  Ramp up the heat and flavor by adding your favorite spices.  In my 12 inch dutch oven I sauteed the vegetables with a full mound of 24-26 coals underneath my dutch oven.  Once the onions were translucent I moved the coals to a ring of 12 around the base of the oven with 26 briquettes on the lid.  It took a good 45 minutes for the rice to cook and absorb some of the liquid.  So ring in the New Year with a big bowl of lucky blackeye peas and I hope all your dreams come true in 2015! 

Blackeye Pea Gumbo
1 Tblsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
5 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup rice
2 cups chicken stock
4 15 oz cans blackeye peas with liquid
1 10 oz can diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 Tblsp Cajun spice
Freshly ground black pepper to taste    
    
     Lightly oil or spray 12 inch or larger dutch oven.
     Saute olive oil, onion, pepper, garlic and celery over a full compliment of coals until softened.
     Move bottom coals to a ring around the base of dutch oven.
     Add remaining ingredients, stir until well combined.
     Cover dutch oven with as many coals as needed to bring gumbo to a strong bubble.
     Simmer for 45-50 minutes, stirring halfway, or until rice is tender.
     Makes 8 servings.

Saute onions, pepper, celery and garlic over high heat
until softened

Add remaining ingredients, stir until well combined

Simmer for 45 minutes or until rice is tender

A great warming, filling game day dinner and don't
forget the cornbread

14 comments:

  1. Fixed this today for our annual collard green new year paddle on Echaw Creek and it beats the fool out of traditional hoppin john. Thanks for your continued posting of some great meals.

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    1. Sounds like a great way to celebrate the New Year Archie, so glad you liked the recipe and thank you for your feedback, Liddy

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    2. Hi Liddy,

      You mention vegetable broth in the description, but I don't see it listed on the recipe. I improvised, and this turned out to be a delicious dish! Thank you!

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  2. Hi Gary, thanks so much for bringing that to my attention. I meant to say substituting vegetable broth for chicken stock but failed to put the amount of chicken stock in the original recipe. Glad you liked the recipe in spite of the omission. Liddy

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  3. Just got my Penzey's Cajun seasoning and this is on the menu for tomorrow nights dinner - looking forward to trying it

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    Replies
    1. I love Penzey's, hope you enjoy your dinner! Liddy

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  4. Hopefully that would be delicious if we add few drops of lemon juice in it while we serve it.

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    Replies
    1. Sounds like a good plan, would probably brighten the gumbo before you serve it. Thanks for stopping by, Liddy

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  5. My brother invited me for Sunday dinner and this was on the menu. I absolutely loved it. I went to Pinterest to find th recipe.

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