It’s hard to say if the cornbread croutons or the black-eyed peas are the star of this dish. A warm plate of tender, flavorful black-eyed peas served over peppery baby arugula and topped with crispy squares of cornbread croutons. Loosely based on a salad I saw in a recent Food & Wine issue, I drained and rinsed a can of black-eyed peas and sautéed them with some fresh thyme, shallots, garlic, scallions and red pepper flakes. Seasoned with some Cajun seasonings and served with a touch of apple cider vinaigrette, this was how I chose to flavor the peas, but do whatever you prefer. I could see some crispy bacon or pancetta working well in the peas, or maybe even some cherry tomatoes or roasted peppers. This is a wonderful way to utilize some of that leftover cornbread you have in the house as well; simply cut some of the cornbread into squares and toast in the oven until crispy and lightly browned. A truly unique and modern take on two of our favorite Southern classics.
(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)
Black-eyed Pea Salad with Cornbread Croutons
Ingredients:
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 shallots, minced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 scallions, ends trimmed, white and green parts chopped
- 2 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves chopped
- 1 (14.5-oz. can) black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
- ¼ teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- Fresh baby arugula
- Cornbread, cut into squares
- For the vinaigrette:
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinaigrette
- 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Pinch of salt and pepper
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a sauté pan heat the 1 Tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add in the next 5 ingredients and cook for 2 minutes while stirring, until the shallots are tender. Add in the drained peas and the Cajun seasoning and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until the peas are cooked through.
- Meanwhile, place the cornbread squares on a lined baking sheet and toast for 10-12 minutes and make the vinaigrette. To do so, just whisk the vinegar, oil and seasonings together until combined. While the croutons are cooking, scatter the arugula leaves on a serving platter. Top with the warm black-eyed peas and drizzle on some of the vinaigrette. Top with the croutons.
Tagged: apple cider vinegar, Arugula, baby arugula, black eyed peas, cornbread, cornbread croutons, croutons, Salad, side dish, Southern, vegetarian, vinaigrette
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