I needed to prepare a no-fuss meal the other day, so I flipped through the pages of “Son of a Southern Chef: Cook with Soul.” I found the slow-cooker black-eyed pea and sausage chili recipe. I used dried black-eyed peas since I haven’t cooked them in years.
Author Lazarus Lynch spilled “the gravy” about how to use them, see below. I also added one pound of ground hot sausage instead of the half-pound of the links. I threw everything into the slow cooker and went about my day.
I checked on it periodically because I felt the high heat for six hours would be overkill since temperatures vary by appliance. Mine finished in about four and a half hours and I topped my portion with a dollop of sour cream.
This dish packed the right amount of flavor and heat. I asked myself, “Why haven’t I created chili with black-eyed peas before?” This was delicious! I’ve added it to my fall season and New Year’s menu. Get ready to elevate your palate!
Serves 6 to 9 | Prep time: 10 minutes | Total time: 6 Hours
INGREDIENTS
1 pound frozen black-eyed peas, sorted and rinsed
4 hot Italian sausage links (about ½ pound), casings removed and meat separated
1 yellow onion, chopped (about 1½ cups)
2 celery stalks, chopped (about 1⅓ cups)
3 cups low-sodium chicken stock
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for serving
PREPARATION
- In a slow cooker, combine the black-eyed peas, sausage, onion, celery, stock, garlic, paprika, chili powder, salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Cover and cook on high until the beans are tender and the stew has thickened, about 6 hours. Season to taste with more salt and black pepper.
- Serve topped with the parsley.
The Gravy aka Tips
If using dried black-eyed peas, cover peas in a pot with 4 inches of cold water and soak overnight. Drain and rinse the peas the next day. Alternatively, use the quick-soaking method: Cover peas in cold water and bring to a boil for 2 minutes, remove from heat, cover the pot with a lid, and let peas stand for 1 hour. Drain and rinse peas.
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