Black-Eyed Pea Salad

Black-Eyed Pea Salad

Recipe courtesy of Houston Chronicle

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INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 pound black-eyed peas, soaked in water to cover for 1 hour
• 1 teaspoon salt (divided use)
• 1 tomato, peeled, seeded and diced
• 1 cucumber, seeded and diced
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1 habanero chile, seeded and finely chopped
• 1⁄8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
• 1⁄3 cup best-quality olive oil
• 8 lettuce leaves, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium saucepan, gently boil the peas in 1 quart of water until tender, about 30 minutes.
2. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt near the end of the cooking time. Strain and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix the tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, green onions, parsley, lime juice, habanero, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper.
4. Gradually pour in the oil while whisking the mixture together.
5. Gently fold in the black-eyed peas.
6. Cover and allow to sit for 1 hour so that the flavors can marry.
7. Serve in the lettuce leaves.

Coconut Crab Cakes with Mango Salsa

Click on this picture. Click and drool.

The coconut in this recipe accentuates the crab's natural sweetness, while the potato provides a creamy texture without diluting the crab flavor. The polenta and coconut make the crunchiest, most flavorable crust you can get, without having to use vast amounts of oil. Not enough for you? Try it with this salsa. Juicy, sweet, tangy, and intense.

If you're like me, you have trouble keeping seafood cakes together. No problem with this cake. It held its shape and flipped without a problem. Definitely a first for me!

Perfection. Okay, enough talking.

Coconut Crab Cakes

Adapted from Food Stories

INGREDIENTS

• 500g crab meat
• 3 green onions, finely chopped
• 2 medium Yukon potatoes
• 1 small bunch cilantro, chopped
• 1 inch ginger, grated
• 1/2 tablespoon jalapeno, chopped
• 3 tablespoons light coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• Polenta and dried, unsweetened coconut, for crusting
• 1/4 cup egg substitute, for dipping
• Olive oil, for (very) shallow frying

DIRECTIONS

1. Boil the potatoes. Drain and mash.
2. Add the crab meat to a large bowl along with all of the other ingredients except the polenta and dried coconut. Season.
3. Shape the mixture into cakes and chill for at least 30 minutes.
4. Spread some of the polenta on a plate and add enough coconut so that you have a mix of two thirds polenta to one third coconut.
5. Dip each cake in the egg first and then coat thoroughly in the polenta mix.
6. Cook the crab cakes in olive oil until both sides are golden brown and crispy.
7. Serve with mango salsa.

Tropical Mango Salsa
Adapted from Simply Recipes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted, and diced (about 1 1/2 cup)
• 1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
• 1 jalapeno, minced
• 1 small cucumber, peeled and diced
• 3 rings canned pineapple, chopped
• 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl.
2. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
   

I had fun with the plating...

Oh, and when I was looking through the fridge, I found this.


Ew. Yes, those are chopped jalapenos. This is what happens when your family is composed of spicy-food junkies. Notice how it is half empty, too. That's a lot of heartburn right there.