Black Eyed Peas and Casebier’s Cornbread

---

Ingredients

Serves 6-8

Black Eyed Peas

2-3 slices bacon, chopped (or 2 tablespoons oil)

2 celery ribs, diced

1 onion, diced

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

pinch cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 pound dry black eyed peas, rinsed and checked for stones

5-7 cups of water

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

Casebier’s Cornbread

2 1/2 - 3 tablespoons shortening

2 cups self rising cornbread mix (We use Martha White brand)

1 tablespoon sugar

2 cups buttermilk

1 egg

Directions

Black Eyed Peas

1. In a dutch oven over medium heat add the chopped bacon. Sauté the bacon for five minutes. You do not want to brown the bacon. You are cooking it over low heat to render some of the fat out. Alternatively, you can skip the bacon and use two tablespoons of any oil.

2. Add the diced celery and onion and sauté until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Again, you are not caramelizing or browning the onion and celery, just slightly starting to cook it.

3. Add the garlic, cayenne, and black pepper and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

4. Add in the black eyed peas.

5. Pour enough water into the pot to cover the beans by 1-2 inches. You can always add more water later in the cooking process. Bring the beans to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

6. Once the beans are fully cooked, they should be soft but still have a slight chew, turn off the heat and add the salt and vinegar. Stir to fully combine.

7. Enjoy over a slice of warm buttered cornbread!

Cornbread

1. Put the shortening in a cast iron pan and place in a cold oven. Turn the oven to 450 degrees and let the cast iron preheat with the oven.

2. Meanwhile make the cornbread. Whisk together the cornbread mix and sugar in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg and buttermilk together. Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

3. Once the oven reaches 450 degrees, carefully remove the hot cast iron pan from the oven and pour 1 1/2 tablespoons of the shortening into the cornbread mixture (leaving the rest of the shortening in the pan) and gently, but quickly, fold to combine.

4. Pour the cornbread mix into the hot cast iron pan and spread it out evenly with a spatula. Place it back in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.

5. After 20 minutes remove the cast iron pan from the oven and flip the cornbread over so the bottom is now on top. Place it back in the oven for five more minutes.

6. After five minutes remove the cornbread from the oven and enjoy warm with salted butter and black eyed peas!