So, I just got . . . crowder peas maybe? in my CSA.

[PariSarah]

Uh, what do I . . . do with them?

[Virginia Dawn]

I had to look them up, and lo and behold, they are just black-eyed peas!

Me, I would give them away. ;-)

But around here most people boil them with ham, bacon or salt pork, then serve them with corn bread and a mess of greens.

[Parrothead]

Oh, crowder peas are good. Are they fresh or frozen? I'm not familiar with a CSA. If they are fresh and shelled all you need to do is blanch them for a minute or so, put them into zipper bags and freeze.

To cook them from frozen, boil them with the seasoning of your choice until they are tender. You can add a bit of chopped onion, celery,and/or green pepper. If you want you can add some bacon or ham hock. I've also used Goya's ham flavored bullion. Oh, and salt and pepper.

[Doran]

Uh, what do I . . . do with them?


I adore all the smaller pea-like legumes -- "field peas" tends to be a term used to describe a host of different kinds, black-eyed peas among them. But, crowder peas aren't necessarily the same as black-eyed, I don't think. Can be, don't have to be, kwim? And, there are varietal differences.

Cook them simply Southern, as Virginia Dawn describes, with bacon or salt pork if you're into that, or just a touch of olive oil, some sliced fresh garlic, salt and water if you prefer. You can also serve them cold with cut up tomatoes, garilc and/or red onion, maybe some red pepper, and a homemade vinaigrette. Google Hoppin' John and make whichever recipe appeals to you most.

This site from a local-to-you Slow Food gathering (http://slowfoodtriangle.org/community/?cat=15) has some interesting info. and ideas.

Oh, and they're also easy to freeze. Just shell them, blanche for a few seconds, drain and store in Ziplocs.

Have fun!

[kacifl]

:tongue_smilie:We've been looking for crowder peas and/or seeds.

What is CSA?

[3lilreds in NC]

You eat them, silly! I can tell you are SO not a native southerner! (Says the Michigan native who has no idea what to do with such things, either.)

My bff freezes these types of things and then, later... I don't know. I think sometimes she puts them in soup. I am pretty sure she just eats them too but I don't have a clue how she cooks them. She used to simmer them with ham bouillon but now she's all healthy and doesn't do bouillon anymore so I really have not one clue!

Just chiming in to be my helpful self. :D

[PariSarah]

Oh, crowder peas are good. Are they fresh or frozen? I'm not familiar with a CSA. If they are fresh and shelled all you need to do is blanch them for a minute or so, put them into zipper bags and freeze.

To cook them from frozen, boil them with the seasoning of your choice until they are tender. You can add a bit of chopped onion, celery,and/or green pepper. If you want you can add some bacon or ham hock. I've also used Goya's ham flavored bullion. Oh, and salt and pepper.

Thanks, Doran, for the link and the ideas. (Who knew people had field pea tastings?! I guess that's what you do when you don't live in wine country anymore :tongue_smilie:)

They are fresh, unshelled. So I'll have to get Isaac to help me shell them, and we'll see what happens then.

A CSA, for those that asked, is a Community Supported Agriculture. You pay the farmer at the beginning of the year (March was our deadline, I think), which purchases a "share" in the harvest. Then, during the summer and into the fall, you get a weekly delivery of veggies. Well, the farmers don't generally make door-to-door deliveries. Our school is hosting a drop-off point, in an effort to get their employees to eat healthier. So, the farmers all come in to school and bring pre-packed boxes with your "share" of the harvest. It's "farmers' choice" for most programs, so you just get whatever they have harvested. With some programs, they send a list of what's going to be ready that week, along with a price range, and you pick from the list, up to a certain dollar value.

It's been good for us. The quantities are a little smaller than I'd like, which may be because the guy we chose was relatively new to the game, but we've gotten lots of things that I never would think to buy in the store (like crowder peas :D). And I like knowing that a former tobacco farm has been converted to organic fruit and vegetable production, and that the CSA program is helping keep the farm in the family. It feels good, tastes good, it's all good!

[Parrothead]

They are fresh, unshelled. So I'll have to get Isaac to help me shell them, and we'll see what happens then.


My dh's grandmother puts what she calls "snaps" in with the shelled peas. She will leave a few peas in the shell and after taking off the ends, snaps them in half and drop them in the shelled peas. It sort of looks like shelled peas with green beans in them.