Hoppin' John, the Southern black-eyed pea classic, normally comes hot, but for a grilled meal we like to turn it into a chilled salad that can be made as much as a day ahead. An ample splash of Tabasco, always good on the peas, enlivens the dressing.
SERVES 8
| 1 | pound dried black-eyed peas, preferably fresh or frozen |
| 6 | cups chicken stock |
| 2 | bay leaves |
| 2 | garlic cloves, minced |
| 2 | teaspoons minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme |
| Salt | |
| 2 | cups cooked rice |
| 1 | medium green bell pepper, diced |
| ½ | medium red onion, diced fine |
TABASCO DRESSING
| ½ | cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, preferably corn oil |
| 3 | tablespoons cider vinegar |
| 1 | teaspoon Tabasco sauce, or more to taste |
| ⅛ | teaspoon salt |
In a large saucepan, combine the black-eyed peas with the stock. Add the bay leaves, garlic, thyme, and salt to taste. Simmer until the peas are cooked through and soft but short of mushy. Expect the cooking time to be at least 45 minutes for frozen peas and up to twice that long for dried peas.
Drain the peas, discarding the bay leaves and liquid (or saving it for soup), and transfer them to a large bowl. Stir in the rice, bell pepper, and onion.
Prepare the dressing, whisking the ingredients together in a smallbowl. The Tabasco flavor will be hopping out at you at this stage, but the dressing will be combined with lots of starch, which absorbs some of the zing. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss it together gently. Refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes and up to a day.
Before serving chilled, sample the salad and add a little more Tabasco sauce and salt to taste.