This is the type of food my grandparents made every day. They sourced fresh ingredients mostly from their home gardens; they let the vegetables and legumes shine through, seasoning them simply with salt and pepper; and they made sure that the dish was juicy with broth, so one could sop it up with cornbread.
Ingredients:
black-eyed peas
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup finely diced white onion
½ cup finely diced carrot
½ cup finely diced celery
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle chile
1 bay leaf
1½ cups dried black-eyed peas, soaked in water with 1 tablespoon kosher salt overnight
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Freshly ground white pepper
squash
2 medium delicata squash (about 1 pound each), halved lengthwise, seeded (reserved for another use), and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons light agave nectar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
mustard greens
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 shallots, minced
2 teaspoons minced garlic
¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
1 pound mustard greens, ribs removed, leaves torn into bite-size pieces
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Pikliz or Pickled Mustard Greens, for serving
Directions
Make the black-eyed peas: In a large pot, warm the olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and sauté until the vegetables soften, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic, chipotle, and bay leaf and cook until the garlic smells fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain the black-eyed peas, add them to the pot, and pour in enough water to cover them by 2 inches. Increase the heat to high and bring the water to a boil, then immediately decrease the heat to medium-low, skim off any foam, cover, and simmer until the black-eyed peas are just tender, about 45 minutes. Stir in the salt and cook for another 5 minutes. Drain the beans, reserving the cooking liquid, and discard the bay leaf.
Return the black-eyed peas to the pot, transferring 1 cup of them to a blender. Pour in 1½ cups of reserved cooking liquid and pulse until chunky but not fully pureed, about 30 seconds. Pour the mixture into the pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, stir in the vinegar, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for a few more minutes and then remove from the heat.
Make the squash: While the black-eyed peas are cooking, preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine the squash, olive oil, agave nectar, and salt and toss to combine. Spread the squash on the prepared baking sheet and roast until tender and browning, about 30 minutes.
Make the greens: In a Dutch oven, warm the olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the shallots and sauté, stirring often, until soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and salt and cook until the garlic is fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the mustard greens and 2 cups of the reserved cooking liquid from the black-eyed peas. Decrease the heat to low and cook, partially covered, until the greens are meltingly tender, about 25 minutes. Stir in the vinegar and season with salt to taste.
To serve, present the black-eyed peas, squash, and mustard greens in bowls, pour in a little (about ¼ cup) of the reserved cooking liquid from the black-eyed peas, and generously top with pikliz or pickled mustard greens (and some of their liquid).
