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Ham Hocks and Crowder Peas

Source of Recipe

From "Down South" by Donald Link


Recipe Introduction

"I love the new direction of Southern food using more worldly ingredients and different preparations, but this is one dish that I just wouldn't touch. Every time I eat this I am transported back to my grandad's kitchen and the warmth and security of what it feels like when the smells of ham hocks and fresh shelled peas are hanging in the air and everything in the world is perfect."

List of Ingredients

◦ 2 smoked ham hocks
◦ 1 onion, cut into medium dice
◦ 2 bay leaves
◦ 2 pounds shelled fresh crowder peas or other field peas
◦ 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
◦ 1 teaspoon black pepper
◦ 3 tablespoons Easy Pickled Chile Vinegar


Recipe

To make the broth, combine the hocks, onion, bay leaves, and 3 � quarts water in a medium heavy-bottomed pot. Bring to a boil over high heat and then reduce the heat so that the water simmers. Cover and cook until the ham hocks are completely tender, about 4 hours.

Add the peas, salt, and pepper and cook until the peas are tender, 30 to 45 minutes. Make sure the peas have enough liquid to cover them throughout the cooking process. If the liquid seems to be evaporating too quickly, cover the pot. The liquid should soak up into the beans as they cook; when they are done, the liquid level should be even with the peas.

Stir in the chile vinegar before serving.

Serves 6 to 8






❧ Easy Pickled Chile Vinegar:

"This quick method for pickling chiles will add a punch of flavor to countless dishes: vinaigrettes, tuna or chicken salad, fried chicken, fried shrimp, crab claws. It will last in your fridge for several months, if not longer. Banana peppers work particularly well because they're a nice, medium-heat pepper, hot enough to be interesting, but not so much as to be overpowering. The idea is to use a generous amount of the vinegar and chiles in a dish to add that pickled tartness."

◦ 2 cups sliced banana chiles, stemmed but not seeded
◦ 1 cup sliced serrano chiles, stemmed but not seeded
◦ 3 cups distilled white vinegar
◦ � cup sugar
◦ 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Put the sliced chiles in a 1-quart glass jar. Bring the vinegar, sugar, and salt to a boil in a nonreactive saucepan. Cool briefly and then pour the hot vinegar over the chiles. Cool again for a few minutes, then cover with the lid and refrigerate for up to 3 months.

Makes about 3 cups