Cook time: 20 minutes
Yield: Serves 6.
If starting with dry beans, use 2 cups, put in a pot, cover with a
couple inches of salted water, bring to a boil, reduce to a very low
simmer, and cook uncovered until done, anywhere from 30 to 90 min.
Rinse with cold water and drain.
I used a combination of freshly roasted poblano chiles and pickled
jalapeños. This is because the poblanos I had were exceptionally mild
and I wanted more heat, which I was able to get from the pickled
jalapeños. Use some combination of cooked green chiles, either canned
or fresh. Taste for heat and adjust to your preference.
Ingredients:
Black-eyed Pea Salsa
About 3 1/4 to 4 cups cooked black-eyed peas (2 15.5-ounce cans,
rinsed, drained)
1/2 to 2/3 cups of chopped, cooked, mild green chiles (2 large
poblanos or 3 anaheims, roasted, seeded, and chopped) AND/OR 1/4 cup
chopped pickled jalapeños (to taste)
1/2 to 2/3 cups of chopped roasted red bell pepper (can use jarred
marinated or roast fresh red bell peppers by charring over a gas
flame or under a broiler, placing in a covered bowl for a few
minutes, wiping off the char, seeding, and chopping)
6 to 8 green onions, thinly sliced including at least half of the
greens, about 1/2 to 2/3 cup total
1 bunch of cilantro, chopped, tender stems included (about a cup)
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
Large pinch of ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Quesadillas
1 dozen flour tortillas
8 ounces Monterey jack cheese, sliced or grated
Method:
If you haven't already done so, prep your ingredients. Char and peel
your chiles and/or red bell peppers if using fresh not jarred or
canned. Cook your black-eyed peas if not using canned.
1. Place the drained cooked black eyed peas in a large bowl. Add the
chiles, red bell peppers, and most of the chopped onions and cilantro
(reserving some for garnish). Drizzle with olive oil and red wine
vinegar. Sprinkle with crumbled, dried oregano, cumin, salt, and
pepper. Toss and let marinate while you prepare the quesadillas.
2. Heat a large cast iron pan on medium high heat. If you are using
something other than a well-seasoned cast iron pan, add a small amount
of oil or butter to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. Add a flour
tortilla to the pan. Let it heat up on one side for half a minute.
Flip it over and place a light layer of cheese over the tortilla. If
you are using grated cheese, you can just sprinkle it all over. If
using sliced cheese, lay the slices down on only one side of the
tortilla. When tortilla begins to form air pockets or the cheese
begins to melt, use a spatula to lift up one edge of the tortilla and
turn it over to the other edge, as if you were making an omelette. Let
cook until lightly browned, and then flip the whole quesadilla over to
the other side and let cook until lightly browned on that side. Remove
from the pan and prepare the other quesadillas in the same manner.
3. Cut the quesadillas into pie-shaped wedges and serve with the
black-eyed pea salsa.