Recipes

Black-Eyed Pea Salad

SAVEUR

Black-eyed peas are the main ingredient in many Bahian dishes, including acaraje, a fritter; refogado, an aromatic sauce made with cilantro; and salads like this one, which author Presilla based on a local recipe.

Ingredients

  • 1 12 cups unpeeled dried shrimp
  • 1 lb. dried black-eyed peas, rinsed well
  • 2 yellow onions (1 halved, 1 finely chopped)
  • 34 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
  • 10 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 34 cup fresh lime juice
  • 3 Tbsp. chopped cilantro leaves
  • 2 ripe tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 10 medium head-on, shell-on fresh shrimp
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Instructions

Step 1

Put dried shrimp into a bowl and cover with boiling water; set aside, covered, to let soak until soft, 2–3 hours. Drain; set aside. Meanwhile, put black-eyed peas and halved onion into a pot; cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, covered, until tender, about 11⁄2 hours. Drain and transfer to a bowl; let cool. Add rehydrated shrimp, remaining onions, 1⁄2 cup parsley, 1⁄2 cup oil, 11 tbsp. lime juice, 2 tbsp. cilantro, tomatoes, peppers, and salt and pepper to peas; stir well and set salad aside.

Step 2

Toss together remaining parsley, lime juice, and cilantro with fresh shrimp, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl; set aside to let marinate for 10 minutes. Heat remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook, turning once, until just cooked through, 2–3 minutes. Top salad with shrimp and serve promptly.

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