A New Year’s tradition
Ingredients
8 oz dried black-eyed peas
3 cups water
1 large onion, chopped
½ cup diced smoked ham
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp dried thyme
½ tsp red pepper flakes
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste
½ to 1¼ cups chicken stock
2 Tbsp butter
2-4 slices bacon, diced
1¼ cups long grain white rice
1 tsp salt
¼ cup minced parsley
Directions
Drain and rinse black-eyed peas thoroughly. Place in an oven proof pot or Dutch oven and add water, onion, ham, garlic, thyme, red pepper flakes, and two bay leaves.
Bring to a simmer and simmer gently, uncovered, just until the peas are tender, 30 to 50 minutes depending on the age of the peas. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid (set the pot aside). Discard the bay leaves. Transfer the peas and ham to a bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and set aside.
Add chicken stock to the reserved cooking liquid to make 2½ cups.
Preheat the oven to 325°. Set the pot used to cook the peas over medium heat then add butter and bacon. Cook, stirring, until the bacon has rendered most of its fat and begins to crisp. Stir in rice and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring to coat the rice with fat, about one minute. Add the cooking liquid and black-eyed peas-ham mixture and bring to a simmer. Stir once, then cover, and bake until the rice has absorbed the liquid, 20 to 25 minutes.
Remove from oven and sprinkle with parsley. Toss lightly with a fork to fluff the rice and mix the ingredients. Let stand uncovered for 10 minutes. Serve over a bed of spinach.
Can be made one day ahead, covered, and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature, then bake, covered and without stirring, in a 275° oven just until warmed through.