Black-Eyed Pea Fritters
Black-Eyed Pea Fritters
“One year on New Year’s Eve, my dad surprised us all by replacing the traditional black-eyed pea soup with black-eyed pea fritters. My dad was big on food traditions, especially because of the meaning behind them, and that particular year he was convinced that we would eat more black-eyed peas if they were in the form of a crispy fritter. This would increase our luck and prosperity as a family. And he was right! We devoured them. Black-eyed peas always taste a little sandy to me, but not in this form. The bread crumbs and spices form a flavorful binder that holds everything together and creates a protein-packed patty that can be seared to crispy golden goodness. I started making onion jam and adding it to the top a few years back when I served these little guys on slider buns at a New Year’s Eve party. It made me smile to carry on my dad’s tradition and to pass on good luck and prosperity to a room full of my closest friends.”— Damaris PhillipsThis recipe is courtesy of Southern Girl Meets Vegetarian Boy. You can buy the book here.Southern Girl Meets Vegetarian Boy © 2017 Damaris Phillips from Abrams
Servings
4
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup (75 milliliters) refined coconut oil
- 1 vidalia onion, finely diced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 (151/2-ounce/439-gram) cans black- eyed peas, rinsed and drained
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- 1 large scallion, green part only, chopped, plus more for garnish
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 1 1/4 cup (55 grams) fresh bread crumbs
- 3/4 cup (85 grams) shredded firm aged sheep or goat cheese
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- onion jam
- 2 vidalia onions, thinly sliced (if vidalias are not in season, any sweet onion will do)
- grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
- 1/4 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
- kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 cup (110 grams) firmly packed brown sugar
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, red pepper, and garlic and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add two thirds of the black-eyed peas, and mash all the ingredients together with a potato masher. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
- Add the flour, egg, scallion, oregano, lemon zest, cayenne, and 1/4 cup (about 10 grams) of the bread crumbs to the pea mixture. Fold in the cheese and remaining black-eyed peas. Season with salt and pepper. Add another 1/4 cup (10 grams) bread crumbs if the mixture is too soft and/or wet.
- Put the remaining bread crumbs in a shallow bowl. Divide the black-eyed pea mixture into twelve portions using a 11/2-ounce (45-milliliters) portion scoop. Press into flat 1/2-inch-thick (12- milliliters-thick) disks and coat with bread crumbs.
- Wipe out the skillet. Heat the remaining oil over medium heat and, in batches, sear the fritters until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Place on a baking sheet and finish cooking in the oven until cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Top with the onion jam and garnish with the scallions.
- Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, lemon zest, ginger, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until the onions start to turn translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the coriander, 1/4 cup (55 grams) of the brown sugar, and half of the lemon juice and turn the heat to low. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions start to cook down and the liquid is evaporated, about 15 minutes. Add 1/3 cup (75 milliliters) water every 10 minutes and continue to cook until The onions are thick and golden brown, about 55 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup (55 grams) brown sugar and lemon juice and cook until the brown sugar melts, 3 to 5 minutes more. Season to taste. Can be cooled and stored covered in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.