Alabama Crowder Peas and Butter Beans

IN GEORGIA AND ALABAMA, THEY’RE USUALLY CALLED crowder peas; in Kentucky and Tennessee, cowpeas; in Maryland and Delaware, lady peas; and throughout the South, just black-eyed peas (whether they have the distinctive dark spot or not). No matter the size, shape, or color, they’re all what Southerners term field peas in general, and when they’re simmered together with fresh speckled butter beans, a little seasoning meat, and a hot red pepper (as I’ve observed more than once at the tables of Alabama friends), and served with chopped raw onions and cornbread, there’s simply no greater side dish in the entire repertory. Today, fresh crowder peas are becoming as difficult to find (even in the South) as fresh genuine butter beans. Of course, fresh or frozen black-eyed peas and baby limas can be substituted in this recipe with delicious results, but since crowders and “specs” do have special flavor, watch for them in restaurants and diners when traveling in the South.

MAKES: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups shelled fresh crowder peas (or fresh or frozen and thawed black-eyed peas)
• 2 cups shelled fresh butter beans (or frozen and thawed baby limas beans)
• 2 ounces streak-o’-lean (lean salt pork), diced
• 1 small hot red pepper, seeded and minced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Chopped red onion, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place the crowder peas (or black-eyed peas) and butter beans (or baby lima beans) in a large bowl of water.
2. Stir around with your fingers, pick over the peas and beans, and discard any blemished ones or foreign particles.
3. Drain the peas and beans and place them in a large saucepan.
4. Add the diced streak-o’-lean, minced hot red pepper, salt, and black pepper to the saucepan.
5. Pour enough water into the saucepan to cover the peas and beans.
6. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.
7. Cover the saucepan and simmer the peas and beans until they are tender but not mushy. This usually takes about 20 minutes. (Frozen peas and beans may require less cooking time.)
8. Drain the cooked peas and beans.
9. Transfer them to a serving bowl.
10. Serve the peas and beans hot.
11. Sprinkle chopped red onion over the top as a garnish or serve it on the side.