Welcome to Wonderful
In our home, this scrumptious looking plate of goodness is referred to as
a veggie dinner. We come from a long line of
summer vegetarians. When the fresh summer vegetables are so
plentiful and delectable why bother with meat? Obviously, not
totally meatless with the addition of a little piece or two of
leftover ham in the green beans. Both of my grandfathers had
successful vegetable patches. What I wouldn't give right now for one
of their good tomatoes.
In the
summertime, I can hardly remember my mother cooking anything besides
vegetables. I remember going to the Farmer's Market sheds downtown and
coming home toting bags of goodies. Summer wasn't summer without purple
thumbs. Or the pop of snapped green beans falling softly into the
pot. Or the pfft of corn juice bursting from the cob and across
your face. Sadly, I was practically an adult before I fell in love with
tomatoes. I remember the plates of tomatoes I passed around the
dinner table without having the good sense to fork a couple onto my
plate. My aunt would eat a tomato like an apple!
This is
not the column about my cornbread (which is perfect). (Perfect Cornbread
Post 11-23-13) That will come later when we delve into the proper method of
making Cornbread dressing, close to Thanksgiving. But you will
need a mighty fine cornbread to go with this recipe. For a
little history, I will tell you that I made my first batch of cornbread one
summer day when my mother had taken to her sick bed. (This is a
rarity for my mother who is the original inspiration for the Energizer
Bunny.) She had veggies cooked for lunch. In his new job, my
father was able to come home for lunch, rain or shine, which was a nice break
from the stress of retail management.
She told
me to go make the cornbread for his lunch. At this point in my shaky
culinary career, I don't know if I had even baked a cake mix. She
told me the "Red and White Checkered Book" and the title. Those
were my instructions. I know you are thinking this is a lot of info on
cornbread, how could there be more if this isn't
THE column, but I am the Cornbread Diva and my vast knowledge
can't be contained here. This is supposed to be about Pea Salad.
I don't
know if Pea Salad is a family invention but I do know I have yet to sit
down at another table serving purple hull peas and see this
accoutrement. But I forgot about the purple hull peas!
I know
I have eaten Black-eyed Peas but not by choice. Purple hull peas are
the purest choice for those of us down south just like we know
the right way to pronounce pecans:
(pu =
pu(ff) + cons ). Pettest peeve - not PEECANS. That is
just rude. Not PEECONS. Senseless. Enough.
Add salt
and pepper to taste. And also add, the butter of the south, a good
tablespoon of bacon grease. It doesn't take much but flavors
perfectly. They are not to be swimming in bacon grease, just
gently flavored. This is the secret to using bacon grease, less is really
more. Once they are seasoned, you can keep them on the
stove until the rest of the meal is ready.
My
great-grandparents had hotels in different little towns in Texas and
Arkansas. Sons who would follow in his footsteps. Some of these hotels
also had dining rooms and hotel kitchens. My uncle has been so
good to share with me some of my great-grandfather's cooking leaflets and
recipes. Unfortunately, I think most of the recipes were those he knew by
heart and never wrote down. Now that I'm writing about Pea Salad, I think
maybe this is where it originated, for our family. My husband, who was
born in a border state with the Mason-Dixon running through it, loves Pea Salad
on his purple hull peas and cornbread.
Measurements are approximate. You need:
1 good size green bell pepper/ 1
small onion/ 1 medium tomato
1 tsp. sugar/ 1 tsp. salt/ 1/2 tsp.
pepper/
1/2 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar/ Equal parts
water and white vinegar
Clean and seed bell pepper. I used three rings of
pepper, dicing the rings into small pieces, as pictured. / I peeled
and sliced and diced most of the onion, small pieces. / I peeled the
tomato and sliced and diced it into small pieces./ Add water and
white vinegar in equal parts, more on the vinegar side. Add salt, pepper
and sugar. For something different, I added the Balsamic vinegar and
it works great. Chill before serving. The longer this sets, the
tastier it gets. To serve: Slice and butter a piece of hot,
out-of-the-oven cornbread. Open cornbread up and add hot,
cooked purple hull peas on top of the cornbread, with a little bit of the
pot juice also. Top this with cold Pea Salad but don't use a slotted
spoon. You will want the tangy vinegar dressing. Add a little
or a lot, depends on you. There will be several layers of taste
sensations. You may consume another serving. It is also permissible
to make your entire meal of just cornbread, peas, and salad. As my
Pa would say, "Mighty fine, best I ever had." You have
arrived.
signed,
a woman
with butter dripping down her hand as it melts on hot cornbread
(the dessert slice)
**I
wonder if anyone else has a similar salad for peas?
**This
is also a necessity on New Year's Day and is delicious with Prime
Rib, Ham, or Fried Chicken.
Originally
published 9-13-13
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