Smoked Sausage and Black-Eyed Peas

Carrie told me about Emeril Lagasse’s Smoked Sausage and Black-Eyed Peas recipe a couple of years ago. I finally made it. I must say, I think it’s the best recipe for black-eyed peas that I have ever tasted! The seasoning is perfect. As a bonus, it is very easy to make.

I used a 12-ounce Hempler’s Kielbasa sausage which was great! If you’re making the Smoked Sausage and Black-Eyed Peas for New Year’s, it’s best to use a pork sausage. Pork is said to bring good luck because pigs root moving forward. Thus, if you eat pork, you will move forward in the New Year. Chickens scratch backwards so chicken is not recommended for your New Year’s meal. This is not the time for chicken sausage!

We ate collard greens on the side to cover all the bases. Emeril suggests corn muffins, which also would have been a good accompaniment.

Happy New Year to all!

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(Adapted from Emeril Lagasse’s recipe)

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Serves 6 – 8

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(print the recipe)

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12 – 16 ounces smoked sausage

1 cup chopped yellow onion

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon cayenne

4 whole cloves garlic

5 sprigs of fresh thyme

4 bay leaves

3 teaspoons finely chopped Italian parsley

8 cups chicken stock

1 pound dried black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained

1 tablespoon minced garlic

Minced green onions, to garnish (optional)

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1. Slice the sausage and cook it in a large pot over medium heat to render some of the fat. (Mine didn’t yield much.)

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2. Add the onions, salt, cayenne, whole garlic cloves, bay leaves, thyme, and parsley to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until the onion begins to soften.

3. Add the chicken stock, black-eyed peas, and minced garlic.

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4. Bring to a boil, and simmer, covered for about 1 ½ hours, until the peas are tender. Serve garnished with green onions, if desired.

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