Black Eyed Peas with Cornbread Dumplings

September 10, 2020 by Joy the Baker 43 Comments

We’re a few days past Labor Day and that means we’re instantly ready for stews and sweaters and pumpkin with our spice. I get it. We’re ready for any kind of familiar change that will liven up and steady this heck of a year. I don’t really mind a few more weeks in my white dress and a few more steamy walks down to the river but heck if I’m ready to make it out of fire and hurricane season. Let’s fall back into some of fall’s comforts. It might be a little early but that just means there will be plenty of time to settle in. Let’s settle in with today’s black eyed pea recipe!

Here’s what you’ll need for today’s black eyed pea recipe:

• A few links of Italian sausage uncased. You could also totally use a vegetarian sausage alternative. For another easily vegetarian comfort dish see: Caramelized Mushroom and Dumplings.

• Frozen and thawed black eyed peas. (Canned would work just fine too – the beans will just break down a bit more during simmering.)

• Onions and garlic and thyme to make everything taste stewy.

• Chicken or vegetable stock.

• For the dumplings: cornmeal and flour, leavening and salt, buttermilk and green onions. Add any other herb or cheese you might think is nice, too!

Let’s start by browning the sausage.

We’re building flavors here and I like to start by giving the sausage a hard sear – so much that it sticks to the bottom of the pan a bit. That’s ok. We’ll get all those delicious bits up.

Add the onion and saute until the onion is soft, translucent and beginning to brown.

This takes about 5, maybe 7 minutes.

Add the peas, thawed and drained.

Give the mixture a good stir and you’ll start to see some of the browned bits come up off the bottom.

Add the broth. Add the thyme.

Give it time but bring everything to a low simmer.

While the beany soup comes to a simmer, hustle together the dumpling batter.

Start with cornmeal, flour, leavening and salt.

Give it all a whisk and add the cold butter chunks.

Once the cold butter is broken down into bits, toss in the green onions.

Chives, parsley, or thyme would be good substitutes or additions to these dumplings. Really – add anything that sounds like it belongs. Grated cheddar even? Sure!

Pour in the buttermilk and stir into a wet but smooth batter.

It’s ok if there are a few lumps from the herbs, but please no lumps of dry ingredients hiding out in our batter.

Make sure the soup is simmering and using two big spoons or an ice cream scoop, dollop eight or nine spoonfuls of batter into the simmering liquid.

Cover the pot, turn down the heat, and wait for the magic to happen.

Let the dumplings simmer for 10 minutes before removing the lid.

They’ll be puffy and float. Feel free to remove one of the dumplings and cut through it to test its doneness. Add a good dash of fresh herbs just before serving.

Generously spoon into bowls and add plenty of hot sauce.

This is the kind of dinner you enjoy on the couch with a movie. Settle in. Let it be cozy.

Photos with my friend Jon Melendez. This recipe is adapted from a Weight Watchers Magazine recipe I found at my mom’s house. Thanks Mom! Thanks Weight Watchers!