Bean there, done that

On Monday Miss Joan and I were comparing our biscuit recipes, talking about cooking in general and about the kind of country cooking that satisfies hard-working, hungry men in particular. At the same time, we were singing the praises of the abundance of fresh produce that is grown locally and available at farmers' markets and roadside truck beds.

Since we were on the topic of Southern country food, Miss Joan threw down the gauntlet: "There's nothin' like a mess of crowders to satisfy a hungry man. How do you make yours?" For the first time that morning, a look of uncertainty crossed my face. "Ah, well, I've never made them", I replied. "Try it!", she encouraged. Have I mentioned that I'm one of those people who is highly motivated by a challenge?

Tuesday's Gulfport Sun-Herald had an article extolling the virtues of hand-shelled field peas (which are also interchangeably called beans, just to make it interesting). The South abounds with a long list of varieties: purple hull peas, pink lady peas, speckled butter beans, silver crowders, and washday cowpeas, along with the more well-known black-eyed peas and lima beans. They are all members of the legume family, rich in protein, fiber and other nutrients.

Armed with some recipes to try, I set off this morning to the Farmer's Market, over in front of Hudson's Farm Supply. I found a sweet watermelon for my husband and a quarter bushel each of brown crowders, calico butter beans, and baby limas. A dozen fresh brown eggs later, and we were on our way home.

My daughter sat down to a snack of freshly-baked bread and butter while I headed outside to pick green beans, roma tomatoes, and cherry tomatoes from the garden. The latter went into my lunchtime salad, and the romas were reserved for dinner.

Along with some grilled ham steaks, we enjoyed crowders simmered in a light tomato sauce. That's what the recipe calls them, at any rate. After one taste, I was sold. I think I'd call them a little bite of heaven.

Here's what you need:

3 cups shelled crowder peas
1 Tbsp light olive oil
3 slices good quality bacon
1 cup onion, finely diced
1/3 cup celery, finely diced
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 cups fresh tomatoes, finely diced
1 cup pork stock (chicken stock could be used in a pinch)
salt
freshly cracked pepper

Now, here's what you do (it looks like a lot, but is really simple):

Wash and pick over the crowders. Put them in a large saucepan with a piece of ham and cover well with water. Season with a teaspoon of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer and cook, partially covered, skimming off any foam and stirring often until tender but not mushy, anywhere between 20 and 45 minutes. When ready, remove from heat and set aside (don't drain yet).

While the peas are cooking, pour the oil into a cast iron skillet and cook the bacon over medium-low heat, turning as needed, until it is well-browned and very crisp. Remove bacon from pan and set aside.

Add the onion and celery to the bacon grease (there's very little), sprinkle generously with salt and a few grinds of black pepper, and stir well. If there isn't enough bacon grease, you can add a tablespoon or two of light olive oil so that the onions and celery don't stick and burn.

Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the onion and celery are just tender (about 10 mins). Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook 5 minutes longer. Stir in the diced tomato and sprinkle with salt. Cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally, and add stock. Simmer gently for 20 minutes, stirring as needed. Add more stock if the sauce becomes too thick. Taste carefully for seasoning and adjust as needed.

Drain the cooked crowders, retaining the cooking liquid. Add crowders to the simmering tomato sauce and stir well. Simmer gently for five to ten minutes, adding a bit more stock or some of the reserved cooking liquid (known as 'pot likker' in the South) if the sauce becomes too dry. Taste carefully and add seasoning if needed.

Serve hot with the cooked bacon crumbled over it and mixed in. I guarantee you will be expressing your pleasure from the very first bite.

While I was at Hudson's, I also managed to find seeds for our fall vegetable garden: red beets, carrots, romaine lettuce, purple globe turnips, peas, butternut squash, broccoli and onions. That should give me many more recipes to try come October...