Greek Black Eyed Peas Salad 💚

I made this after @jloudu made the original version with optional feta. I included some of her adjustments which did make this appreciably better! 😋

The original recipe is by Martha Rose Shulman via NYT. I tried to include it but Instagram was not having it. Oh well, you can see my version here! (for the original just search her name and the recipe title above)

📌 RECIPE
*** First, go make a brined batch of the plant-based feta that @plant.eating.angie shared on December 3, 2023! If you make it FIRST THING in the morning, you can use it later in the day. Or, plan ahead and make it the day before. It's phenomenal!

1½ cups (8oz) black-eyed peas, dry
1 bay leaf
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 large garlic cloves, petite chopped or minced (I might try 4 next time)
½ tsp cumin, ground
3/4 cup red onion, sliced into ~1"-strips, soaked in ice water for 5-10 minutes
10-20 cracks of freshly ground black pepper
½ cup chopped fresh dill
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley (we used curly)
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
10 small kalamata olives, quartered

Cook the beans and bay leaf. I used a slow cooker with about 3 cups water for a few hours on high until tender. Drain, reserving bean liquid and set aside to cool. When warm/cool, add beans to a large mixing bowl.

Dry saute red bell pepper in a non-stick skillet a few minutes until tender-crisp, then add garlic and saute another 30-60 seconds, and finally add the cumin and cook for just a few seconds. Add to drained beans in the mixing bowl.

Add the rest of the ingredients (except plant-based feta): red onion, black pepper, dill, parsley, vinegar, olives, plus ¼ cup bean broth. Toss to mix, serve with plant-based feta crumbles or blocks!

Notes:
-- The olives and the brined plant-based feta are the salts for this dish!
-- I like slightly fancy cut things, so for the olives I cut each lengthwise then at a 45 degree angle in the middle. That's based on the faux tourné cut.

This is definitely a dish I will make again. Simple and satisfying!

#plantbased #happynewyear #yay2023 #yay2024 #nooil #saltsavvy #dontforgetyourb12