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- This recipe starts by browning hot Italian sausage, which creates a savory flavor base and adds a subtle heat.
- The aromatics are cooked in the same pot, right after the sausage, so you can scrape up the delicious browned bits for maximum flavor.
- Fresh cilantro brings an herbal brightness that helps balance the spice and umami.
Gail Simmons makes this simple but luscious stew with black-eyed peas, which, unlike other kinds of dried beans, cook like a charm without pre-soaking. Instead, they become soft and creamy (while absorbing all the flavors in the pot) in a little over an hour for a thick, comforting bowlful. The flavorful tomato-based broth gets a kick from sliced jalapeños and spicy Italian sausage.
A take on tradition
Black-eyed peas are a mainstay in the American South, and Simmons takes some cues from Southern cuisine for her flavorful stew. She builds her flavor base on classic aromatics and pairs the beans with pork — though instead of the smoked pork or sausage you might find in soul food or Cajun cuisine, she uses hot Italian sausage for additional zing. The jalapeño, cilantro, and canned tomatoes might be less traditional in Southern cooking, but are common in similar Latin American dishes. These black-eyed peas would be delicious with rice — a classic pairing around the world — or Southern-style cornbread.
Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen
If you don’t like the heat, sweet Italian sausage is a fine substitute for the spicy links used here.
