Black-Eyed Pea Salad

Place the peas in a 4-quart pot and add twice as much cold water. Add the onion, salt, allspice, garlic and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer until tender, about 30 to 35 minutes. Test the peas while cooking so you dont overcook them. Drain and spread out on a sheet pan to cool. Heat a medium-size frying pan and add the bacon. Cook the bacon until almost crisp. Drain the fat, remove the bacon and set aside. Heat the frying pan again and add the 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the ham, celery and red bell pepper. Saute for about 3 minutes and allow to cool. Place in a large bowl along with the cooled peas, reserved bacon, scallions and parsley. Place the dry mustard for the dressing in a small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and mix together until lump free. Add the rest of the oil and the remaining ingredients. Blend together and add to the black-eyed pea mixture. Fold the salad together, cover and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours. Fold the salad a couple of times while chilling. Serve in optional lettuce cups. This recipe serves 6 to 8. Comments: Black-eyed peas are really not peas at all; theyre beans. They have a sort of subtle smoky flavor and for that reason make a great salad. With the new emphasis on eating more beans, this is a jewel for your crowd. It keeps a few days and you can add other things to it as you go along. Try adding tuna, leftover cold fish, leftover chicken, etc. Recipe Source: THE FRUGAL GOURMET by Jeff Smith From the 09-02-1992 issue - The Springfield Union-News Formatted for MasterCook by Joe Comiskey, aka MR MAD - jpmd44a@prodigy.com -or- MAD-SQUAD@prodigy.net 09-07-1995 Recipe by: Jeff Smith