Southern Collard Greens, that delicious green vegetable served year round in most Southern households.  It’s the mainstay side dish of most every New Years Day meal.  It’s even supposed to be good for you.  But wait, I hate collards.  I always have and I always probably will.

Thus, you may wonder why in the world I would want to make collard greens the very FIRST RECIPE that I would ever post here on Taste of Southern.  After all, the first recipe should be “special” in so many ways.  You would think a person would want to post their very favorite dish of all times as the first.  Maybe a dish that folks have proclaimed for years that it was the best thing you ever cook.

Why then, would collard greens be the first recipe on a brand new website?  Let’s just call it a little…..GRATITUDE.

Let’s begin with just a little background.  We need to get to know each other and this will give you just a little insight into what Taste of Southern is all about.  If you’re in a hurry though, scroll on down to the fully illustrated photos and printable recipe below.  It’s OK.

Introducing:  Taste of Southern“Taste of Southern” is all about the great southern cooking that I grew up on.  It’s all we knew growing up here in North Carolina.

I grew up poor.  I just didn’t know it at the time.

My brother and sister told me stories about how food was scarce during the early days of my life.  I don’t remember any of it though.  What I remember is that you just didn’t visit our house without mama offering you something to eat.  To me, there was always food at our house.  Or at least mama made it seem that way.  I don’t think I ever missed any meals along the way.  She always had something on the table come meal time.

Maybe by the time I got old enough to start noticing things; God had already begun pouring out His blessings for her generosity to feed others.  I just don’t remember those poor times.

Mama:
My mom was a fantastic cook.  It was her hobby and her life.  She just loved to cook for her family and for her friends.  And, everyone loved her cooking.  She did some other things, like quilting and a little crocheting but, cooking was her gift and her talent.  God had truly blessed her with this talent and she used it well.

Mama had her standard dishes, like fried chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, her simple tomato soup spaghetti, chocolate layer cake and of course….her made from scratch….buttermilk biscuits.  She only cooked ONE thing that I never did learn to like and that was….collards.

Sunday Dinner:
Sunday’s were very special at my house.  I went to church most every Sunday, whether I wanted to or not.  Then, after church, we all gathered around the table for the meal that mama had started hours before the rest of us had even woke up.  She’d begin cooking early in the morning, turn the pots off, go to church, come home and start the process rolling again and then serve about 15 or more gathered around that big dining room table.

My brother and sister were both married and gone as they were a few years older than I was.  Still, they were there almost each and every Sunday, along with the current pastor and his family.  If they weren’t, mama would call them to see if they were on the way.

Mama, my dad, my brother and sister all loved collards.  I was just different.  I always said that I would just as soon go out and eat grass in the yard as to eat collards.  I didn’t see much difference.  You couldn’t drown them with enough vinegar or anything else to make them enjoyable.  I still don’t like them.

Have no fear though with the recipe.  It’s tried and tested.  I called on members of my family for help to re-create what mama did in preparing them.  I think it turned out pretty close but I still don’t like them.

I’ll just cherish the memory that whenever mom set the table for Sunday dinner, she would always place that big old bowl of collards at the other end from where I was sitting.  She knew I didn’t like them and wouldn’t even sit them close by me.  Gotta love a mom like that.

This then is a very special recipe for me.  Not only is it the first one to be posted on this new site, it’s a tribute to my mom, a very SPECIAL mother.  A mom that raised us kids’ right, taught us right from wrong, taught us to love others, to help others and to love the Lord.  She was very special to us all and we miss her dearly.  It would be great if she were actually here to help me as I begin this journey.  I’d like to ask her lots of questions and seek her advice and wisdom.  Still, she’s with me as I heat up her old black skillet or round out a buttermilk biscuit by hand, just like she taught me.

So, join us as we begin this new journey of adding our favorite southern recipes to the Internet.  I hope you will enjoy them as much as we have and still do….well….except for the collards.

Let’s Get Cooking!

For our Southern Collard Greens, we’ll need these ingredients and a couple of “Secret Ingredients” listed further down. You’ll just have to keep reading to see what they are.

You’ll need about a 6 quart sized pot to begin.  Place about 3 quarts of water in the pot and bring it to a boil.  Wash and scrub your ham hock well and place it in the boiling water.  Reduce the heat to about medium and let the ham hock simmer.  The ham hock will need to cook longer than the collards to get tender.  Besides, you’ll need the extra time to get those greens really good and clean.

Collards fresh out of the field are usually pretty well coated in dirt.  Most farmers markets and grocery stores will do a pre-wash on them but it’s not good enough that you would want to go ahead and cook them.  You’ll still need to scrub and wash each individual leaf to make sure there isn’t any dirt left on them.  You’ll probably even need to do the wash, rinse and repeat procedure a couple of times to get them totally clean.  You don’t want your family or guests biting into some grit when they start enjoying your greens.

The leaves are usually pretty large.  Even the bunch that I purchased seemed like a lot of collards but, they will reduce down when you start adding them to the hot water.  You should end up with a nice “mess of greens” as we say in the South.

Either on your cutting board or holding it in your hand, fold the leaf over in half along the stem line.

Now, kind of roll the leaf down the stem and separate the leafy green from the tough stem.  Yeah, it’s a bit time consuming but worth the effort in my opinion.  Some folks say chop the stems up and let them cook.  I think you’ll find them to be bitterer if you leave the stem in.  It’s your choice.

Completely separate the stem from the leaf and discard the stem.  You can add them to your backyard mulch bin if you have one or just trash them.

Stack a couple of the leaves together.  We’re going to roll them and cut them.

Start at one end of the stack and tightly roll up the collard leaves.

Turn the leaves and slice right down the middle – lengthwise.

Squeeze the two halves back together, flip around and slice them again.  Just make 3/4 inch slices down the roll until you’ve got it all cut up.  Again, it’s a bit of work but it will help them to cook quicker and be tenderer.

You’ll end up with a big pan of cut up greens before you know it.

Start adding the collard greens to the pot of simmering water.  Add them a few at a time, let those cook down a minute or so and then add some more.  Just keep dumping them in until you’ve got them all in the pot of water with the ham hock.  Let them cook on a slow simmer.  I leave mine uncovered while they cook.  They say they keep their bright green color better if left in an open pot and turn darker green if covered.  Other than that, it doesn’t really matter whether you put a lid on the pot or not.

Go ahead and chop up the onions.  Yeah, it makes my eyes water just looking at this picture. (smile)

Then, chop up the garlic.  Hopefully yours will be fresher than mine was.  It was all I had.

In another small pan, melt the butter, then add the chopped onions and garlic.  You’ll want to sauté these just until the onions are translucent.  Keep an eye on this.  The garlic will burn easily and you just don’t want that to happen.

Add the onions and garlic to the pot of collards.  See how they have cooked down already.  All that liquid in the pot will soon be known as “potlikker” or “pot liquor.”  It can also be used later as a soup.  Keep reading.

Add salt and pepper….then….we’ll add the SECRET INGREDIENTS.

Shhhh….these are the SECRET INGREDIENTS.  Texas Pete Hot Sauce® and SUGAR!  You’ll need to add one Tablespoon of each.  Mama added sugar to all of her vegetables.  The hot sauce just adds a little flavor and doesn’t add heat unless you add a bunch more.  It’s probably best to leave any extra out at this point.  Each person can add more later to their individual servings if that’s what they like.  Now, let this cook for about 10 more minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, lift the collards out of the pot and place them in a large bowl.  Either chop them in the bowl or place them on your cutting board and chop them up some more like I did.  Leave the ham hocks and the potlikker in the pot, don’t throw that out, we’re going to put the chopped collard greens back in.

I couldn’t find my chopper so I ended up draining the greens and placing them on my cutting board.  I used my knife to chop them up a little more.  You don’t want to chop them so small that they’re mushy.  Collards can seem a bit tough but I think it depends on how big and old the collard heads are when you purchase them.  The bigger and older, the tougher they may be.

Carefully remove the ham hock from the pot.  Chop up the “meatier” portion and then place that along with the collards back into the pot of liquid and stir it up.  This will keep it all warm until ready to serve.  When you do serve it, you may not want to add all of the liquid to your serving bowl but you’ll want to add a good bit of it.  Lots of folks say that the “potlikker” is the best part of it all.  They like to “sop” it up with some cornbread.  (Sop is an old Southern word that basically means to dip or wipe up as in dipping the cornbread into the pot liquor.)

Serve up some greens with your favorite meat main course.  And, don’t forget the cornbread!

So, there you have it, our very first recipe ever posted on our Taste of Southern website.  If you have leftover potlikker, you can use that to make Potlikker Soup.  Check out the website for that recipe that includes cornmeal dumplings.  We’ll be posting it shortly.

Enjoy!!!

Ingredients

2 lbs Fresh Collar Green (washed well and chopped)
1 4 oz smoked Ham Hock
1 Medium Onion, chopped
4 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 Tbsp Salt
1 Tbsp Sugar
1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
1 Tbsp Texas Pete Hot Sauce (optional)
1 Tbsp Butter

A part of the Southern diet for nearly 300 years, it doesn’t matter if you call them Black Eye, or Black Eyed Peas, this is a great side dish for just about any meal.  You’re certain to find them on almost every Southern table on New Year’s Day, along with a pot of collards and skillet baked cornbread.  But, you don’t have to wait until then, this quick and easy recipe will let you enjoy black eye peas anytime.

Fresh black eye peas are available during the summer months here in the South.  Local farms let you pick your own by the bushel or peck if you’re ambitious enough to do such.  Mama and daddy use to pick’em from our own garden when I was a kid.  Afternoons and evenings were then spent sitting on the front or back porch with a big old wash pan of peas in your lap and an empty bushel basket by your side to throw the hulls in after you shelled them.

I never could handle much of the shelling of peas or butter beans either one.  I bite my fingernails and you need a bit of fingernail to slip into the pea hull and get them started.  You sort of break open one end with your thumbnail, then once you have an opening, you run your thumb down inside the hull and the peas pop out into your pan.  With black eye peas, you’d get about 8-12 individual peas from each one.  That means you have to do a good amount of pea shelling to get enough for Sunday dinner, even more if you plan on freezing or canning them.

Chances are, there was a big old glass of ice cold Sweet Tea sitting at the foot of your chair or on a small side table.  The conversation was always good as the adults talked about family, friends and days gone by for them.  If it was night time, the darkness would sparkle all across the yard with lightning bugs fluttering all around.  We didn’t have air conditioning so it was cooler to be outside than inside even after the sun had gone down.

Today, many of the larger roadside produce stands have electric pea shellers.  They can shell a bushel in hardly any time at all for you.  Some will have them already shelled and in plastic bags inside a refrigerator ready for sale.  Still, if you watch them while they run the machine, conversations seem to drift back to how it “use-to-be” when shelling them by hand.  Ahhh…the joy of modern day inventions.

Please Note:  Dry peas from the grocery store will need to be soaked at least 6 hours or overnight.  Plan ahead.

Now, Let’s Get Cooking!

You’ll need these ingredients.  I’m using a piece of hog jowl for seasoning.  You could also use bacon grease, fat back, ham hock or streak-o-lean.  To really be southern…you’ve got to add some pig.  (Smile)  Note that I placed a couple of slits in the hog jowl meat.  You’d want to do the same with a piece of fatback if you use that.  It just seems to help it cook better.

I’m using dried black eye peas to prepare my dish.  You can purchase them in 1-lb. bags at most any grocery store.  First thing you’ll need to do is place them in some type of large flat dish or on a baking pan so you can sort through them.  Most dried beans are mechanically processed these days and you’ll need to sort through them looking for any small pebbles, sticks or hard objects that might be mixed in with them.  Spread them around on the plate or run them through your hand until you’re sure they are free of anything you don’t want to bite into later.

Now, place them in a colander or large bowl and wash them real good with clean water.  You need to get off any dirt or dust that might be on them.

Place the washed peas into a large pot and cover them with a couple of inches of cool water.  The dry peas need to soak for at least 6 hours or preferably overnight to rehydrate them.  Some folks think you soak them in order to reduce the gas they may cause.  That may be true to an extent,  but truth is, beans are dirty.  Soaking them just helps clean off the “field dust” they have accumulated.  Water can’t be used during the picking and processing steps needed to get them from farm to table.  Any water added might cause them to mold or start sprouting so the dirt isn’t washed off in the packaging process.  Soaking them will also reduce the cooking time by about 70%.  Soaking allows the peas to absorb the water they need to cook evenly and not break open.  So, plan ahead, soak them overnight and be done with it.  It’s the Southern way.

The next morning, you’ll find your peas puffed up and ready to cook.  You’ll also probably see some “floaters” in your pot.  As the name implies, floaters are peas that you’ll see floating around on the surface of the water.  These are usually peas that for whatever reason didn’t absorb any water and will be dry if left to cook.  Just scoop them out with your hand or a slotted spoon and toss them in the trash.  You don’t have to over obsess with this because just about any time you stir them around, you’ll find a few more.  The really bad ones will be the first one’s you see after soaking them and I suggest that you remove those.  Look at my photo.  See how the water has turned dirty looking?  We’ll pour that off.

Pour the soaked peas out of your pot and back into your colander.  While you’ve got them in there, go ahead and rinse them under some cool running water.  Swish them around to remove any dirt or dust that might still be on them.

Can you tell the difference in my before and after pictures?  The dry beans are on the left and the soaked overnight beans are on the right.  Look closely at the space up the side of the colander and maybe you can see how they increased in size after absorbing the water overnight.  Cool huh?

Fill a large pot about half full of water and bring it to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.  Drop in your pork meat seasoning of choice if using such.  Reduce the heat down to medium and let the pork simmer for about 30 minutes to give it a head start on the cooking process.  As stated, I’m using hog jowl in my recipe and it’s a bit salty.  Peas require a lot of salt, but we’ll be careful about adding more at the end of the cooking process to avoid getting them too salty.

If you’re using bacon grease in your recipe, you can eliminate this part and save yourself the extra time.  You’ll add the bacon grease later.

After the pork has cooked for about 30 minutes, carefully add the peas into the pot.  That’s hot water so don’t splash yourself.

Let the peas return to a slight boil, then reduce the heat to medium-LOW.  You want to cook them low and slow for about 45 minutes or longer.  If they are cooking too fast, the water will evaporate out.  You can add more water if needed but it tends to weaken the “broth” somewhat.  If adding water, add HOT water from the faucet.

After about 45 minutes, remove the pork, set aside and let it cool.

(Note:  If you’re using bacon grease instead of a piece of pork, now would be a good time to add it after the peas have cooked some.)

Now, add 1-Tablespoon of sugar.

Add 1-teaspoon of black pepper.

At this point, you should stir them well and taste them.  The type of pork seasoning that you use will determine how much additional salt, if any, that you will want to add in the next step.  You may not need to add any.  It’s just up to you and your personal taste.

Add a teaspoon of more salt if needed.  Cooking is flexible so adjust them to suit your family’s needs and desired tastes.  Beans can soak up some salt, so add more gradually, stir well, then let cook for another minute or two and taste again.  Should you get it a little too salty, add some more hot water and that should help.

Chop up about half a medium size onion.  Again, more or less depending on your taste.

Chop up your hog jowl if you’re using it.  Hog jowl has a good amount of fat.  Fatback is all fat.  Some folks like to chew it, but I’ve never acquired a taste for it myself.  I removed most of the fat from the cooked hog jowl and chopped up the remaining meat sections.  You’ve already got the flavor out of the fat as it cooked so it isn’t necessary that you add it back into the pot.  The meat of the hog jowl is rather tasty so I chopped it up and will add it back to the pot of peas.

Add the chopped onion and pork into the pot of peas.  Stir well.

If your black eyes appear a little thick or creamy at this point, you may want to add about a cup of hot water.  Just stir it all together well and let the onions cook until they become translucent in color.  When the onions are fairly clear and the peas are done to your liking, they are ready to serve.  It’s best not to cook them down to mush.  They can overcook if you don’t watch them.  Cooking times will vary as with any recipe, just keep testing the beans until they are tender but not mushy.

Serve yourself up a bowl along with some “fried” hog jowl.  Oh…and a piece of cornbread.

Enjoy!!!

Delicious additions to any meal, pinto beans are another quick and easy side dish in the classic Southern tradition.  We’re featuring the recipe of our dear friend, Ms. Sally, who says that this is her most requested dish from family and friends.  Just a few simple ingredients are all you’ll need.

I’d like to introduce you to one of our real Southern Cooks, Ms. Sally.  Go ahead, say it out loud, “Hello, Ms Sally.”

Ms. Sally is one more fantastic cook and she isn’t afraid to tell you that she’s 84 years old.  She loves her family, her friends, and is one of those people that can just get along with everyone she meets.  I’ve visited with Ms Sally numerous times and really enjoy sitting around talking about food and cooking with her.  She may not get around as easily as she use to, but she still likes to cook.  Ms. Sally is also the mother of my good friend, Bobby.

Bobby is a “Purveyor of Goods, New and Used,” and a regular caller to our Swap Shop radio program.  Bobby buys, sells and trades all kinds of things, and as he likes to say, “If I ain’t got, I’ll get it, cause I want to see YOU with it.”  He’s just an all around super nice guy and someone that I’m proud to call a friend.  I pick at him a lot, but he just opens himself up to it so why resist?

I know this is supposed to be about Ms. Sally’s recipe, but let me tell you a little bit about how we all met.  OK?

I first met Bobby back in 2004 when I worked at another radio station here in our town.  Bobby called the station one day to participate in some weird thing we were doing on the air.  I recognized his voice immediately.  I’d heard him call in to the Swap Shop program on another station many times trying to sell this or that and always got a kick out of his converstations and his down home appeal.

Bobby sounded a little surprised when I asked about his name.  I then told him I’d heard him calling in to the “other” station.  We talked and carried on a bit and I guess pretty much hit it off from the start.  From that day on, Bobby called me a couple of times a week to request songs or just chat a spell.

I attended a local National Day of Prayer event not long after that.  As I was walking away, this fellow walked up and asked me if I was Steve Gordon.  “Yes,” I replied.  He then introduced himself as Bobby Wood, we talked a bit while there, and I guess we’ve been friends ever since.  In the days ahead Bobby would stop by the station a time or two and even brought me a cake one day that he purchased from one of his co-workers.

By now, it was just a few days before Thanksgiving and Bobby found out that I’d be working on Thanksgiving Day with no plans to eat with family.  Being Bobby, he offered to bring me something from his own families get together.  He’d “bring it to the station,” he said.  I argued with him a bit about not wanting to interrupt his day, but he wouldn’t hear of it.  I finally accepted his offer.

Around lunch time on Thanksgiving Day, Bobby came in with 3 big plates of home cooked food.  He had two plates of turkey, dressing, bread, and vegetables, along with another plate filled with homemade desserts.  How could you not like someone like that?  I don’t think Bobby and his family had even had their own meal at that time and little did I realize, but Bobby lived about 15 miles away.  He’s just that kind of guy.  I thanked him for thinking of me that day and it wasn’t long before I was enjoying a delicious home cooked meal.

Thanksgiving is a rough time of year for me.  My wife of 17 years passed away the day after Thanksgiving in 1998 and I still had a rough time getting together with family on holidays.  Perhaps you can understand.

I ate like a King that day.  It was all absolutely delicious and home cooking like I hadn’t had in quite some time.  Bobby told me that his wife Eva and his mom, Ms Sally, had made it all themselves.  I wondered why he wasn’t as big as I was, but I guess he works his off moving all those used appliances and furniture items around.

As life would have it, about two years later I moved from the station I was at over to the station that was doing the Swap Shop program.  By this time, I had met Bobbys wife when they were both at an auction I attended, but I hadn’t met his mom.

Ms. Sally started having this gigantic Yard Sale about every day at her house and called into the program to promote it.  I’d talked with her a couple of times on the program, and on this particular day, she invited me to come up and visit her Yard Sale.  I asked her if she had any kitchen items for sale, and she said she did, so I told her that once the program ended, I’d head up her way.

It was such a delight to finally meet Ms. Sally.  She’s such a likeable person and has never met a stranger.  She just made me feel right at home.  I ended up purchasing a couple of kitchen gadgets, some cookbooks, and a bowl or two.  Then, we started talking about cooking.  I loved it.

When I asked her what she cooked that everyone liked the most, she didn’t hesitate.  “Pinto Beans,” she declared.  I told her about my plans for this website and asked if she’d share some recipes.  She said she would, and I asked her about her Pinto Beans.  She began telling me all about them.  Now, I haven’t actually tried any of her own pinto beans myself.  She’s promised me that the next time she cooks up a big old pot that she’ll give me a call.  I can’t wait.  In the meantime, here is the recipe that she gave me on how to cook her Pinto Beans.  I tried to cook them just the way she described it all to me that day.  I hope you might give them a try as well.  Ready?

Let’s Get Cooking!

These are your ingredients.  Pretty simple….with excellent results.

Spread your dry pinto beans out in a large plate, pan, or on your counter top to sort through them.  The beans are harvested mechanically and haven’t been washed.  You’ll want to look through them for small stones, sticks, hard beans, or other foreign matter prior to cooking.  Remove any bad things you find and throw them away.

Place the dry beans in your colander and give them a good rinse under cool running water.  This helps to remove any dust and dirt that might be on them.  Swirl them around with your hand and rinse them good for a minute or two.

Place the washed beans in a good size pot and cover them with about 6 inches of cold water.  All dry beans require soaking for 6-8 hours or overnight to rehydrate.  I always just do this right before going to bed and let them soak overnight.  That way, they’re ready the next day for when I’m all set to start cooking.  If you need to cook them sooner, check the back of your bag for more options.  Most bags will have instructions on how to do a quick soak.  To do this, you’ll place the washed beans in water, heat them for a few minutes, and then turn off the heat.  This will speed up the re-hydration process and it works just as well.

Here’s how they will look after soaking overnight.  See how they plumped up?

Pour the beans back into the colander to drain them.  We’ll also need to wash them again.

Place the colander back under cold running water and rinse well.  Stir them around again with your hand and rinse for another minute or two.

I used the same pot I soaked them in to cook my pintos.  Just rinse the pot, and fill it about half way with water.  Place the pot on your stove over medium-high heat.  You’ll only need about an inch or so of water over the top of your beans.  I already know that filling this particular pot about half full with water will be perfect for cooking my beans.

When the water starts to heat up, go ahead and add in the rinsed and drained beans.  You may want to raise the heat up a bit to bring the beans to a slight boil.  Just don’t forget to turn it back down once you’ve added all the ingredients.

Once the beans reach a slight boil, drop in the whole, peeled, Onion.

Then, add about three slices of Fatback.

Add the 1/2 teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper.  It’s not enough to make it hot, just adds a little spice and flavor.

Give it all a good stir.

LOWER the heat down to about medium-low.  Cover the pot and let the beans simmer.  They will need to cook between 1 to 2 hours until tender.  This will depend a lot on your stove and conditions in your kitchen so the time may vary either way.  You’ll want to remove the lid and stir them about every 30 minutes or so.  Watch the level of the liquid and make sure it doesn’t drop below the top of the beans.  If it’s cooking too fast, you’ll lose liquid fast.  Reduce the heat a little more if need be.  If the liquid is evaporating too quickly, just add a little hot water to bring the level back up to just a little above the top of the beans.  Cooking is all about making adjustments as you go along.

After the beans have simmered for awhile, test a spoonful to see if they’re getting tender.  They will continue to cook after you turn the heat off, so don’t let them overcook or they will turn out mushy.  You’ll also be tasting them to see if they need any additional seasoning.

Personally, I found that my beans needed a little extra salt.  Yours may not.  It’s all about personal tastes.  The pork Fatback didn’t add a lot of salty taste like hog jowl or even bacon grease might would have.  I went ahead and added 1 teaspoon salt to the pot.  Remember to always test your recipe before adding additional seasonings, especially salt.  And, always add the salt at the end of the cooking cycle.  As a note, the added salt that I used is NOT included in the printable recipe below.  If you do add salt or pepper, cover the beans and let them simmer for about 15 more minutes to absorb the seasonings.  The beans are now ready to serve in a bowl all by themselves, or as a side dish to about any of your favorite meat dishes.  Add a little fresh baked, skillet cornbread, and you’re ready to go.

Enjoy!

Healthy and tasty sweet potatoes, a very versatile dish that is quick and easy to prepare and offers lots of possible uses.  Peel and eat or use them for sweet potato casseroles, sweet potato pies or sweet potato biscuits and much more.

Baked sweet potatoes have always been one of my favorites.  I have fond memories of mama pulling a big pan of sweet potatoes out of the oven and sitting them aside to cool.  I knew good things were on the way.

You might want to bake up a batch of them while you’re at it since they are so versatile.  Mama would freeze any unused potatoes for later.  She’d just pop them in a plastic container with the skins still on them.  When she wanted to bake a pie or make some sweet potato biscuits, she only had to pull them out of the freezer and let them thaw.  They’re really tasty and healthy for you.

Actually, they’re so simple you may be wondering why I’d even bother to do a step-by-step photo illustration on how to prepare them.  Let me answer that.
01 – I wanted some sweet potatoes.
02 – If I was going to bake them, I figured I might as well go ahead and do the step-by-step.
03 – I needed to practice since this is one of my first recipes on the website.
04 – Maybe, you’d be searcing some information on how to do it and we could help.

Mission accomplished all the way around.  How’s that?  Ready?

Let’s Get Cooking!!!

You’ll need sweet potatoes of course.  Try to pick out potatoes that are all about the same size.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Use a vegetable scrub brush if you have one and wash the potatoes well, removing any dirt.

Dry them with a paper towel or just set them aside a few minutes to air dry.

Use a fork and pierce several rows of holes in each potato.  This lets steam out as they cook and keeps them from bursting open.  Sweet potatoes are pretty hard so use caution while doing this and don’t poke holes in your hand instead.

Use a rimmed type pan and line it with aluminum foil.  Place the potatoes on the pan.  Once they start cooking, the potatoes will ooze some sugar and it might drip down on the pan.  It can be a sticky mess and hard to clean so be sure to use the foil.  You can thank me later.  Some folks might prefer to just wrap each potato individually and bake them.  That works also, but I just prefer to bake them uncovered like this.  The biggest difference would be the texture of the skins either way, but most folks peel them and toss the skins.

Place them on the middle rack of your oven once it’s holding at 350 degrees.  You’ll want to check them after about 25-30 minutes to see how they are doing.  Oven temperatures vary and yours might cook faster or slower.  I let these bake for almost an hour.  Use an oven mitt and gently press or squeeze on them to see if they are getting soft.  It also depends on what you intend to do with them once they’re done.  You might want a firmer baked potato to just peel and eat or slice and serve.  You might want to cook them a bit longer if you plan to make mashed sweet potatoes for a casserole or pie.

I let these bake until they were pretty soft since I wanted to just peel them and eat them with my meal.  With some toppings of course.

Now we’re talking!  Peel the potatoes while they are still warm and place on your plate.  Sprinkle on some ground cinnamon or cinnamon sugar and top with a couple of pats of real butter.  You could even add a little brown sugar and go even sweeter.  You could mash them up and mix in the cinnamon sugar and serve them more like you would regular mashed potatoes.  Ummm….they’re good.

Enjoy!

Quick and easy potatoes, simple to make with just a few ingredients.  You’ll love the taste of these potatoes with a hint of garlic and dill.  It’s a great side dish for just about any meal and pairs well with about any meat dish.  You can even prepare them a day or two ahead and heat and serve when needed.

Garlic Dill New Potatoes Recipe:

Every time I visit one of the Boston Market® Restaurant locations, I have to order their Garlic Dill New Potatoes.  I just love them.  They do a great job of preparing many dishes that I like, but I always seem to order pretty much the same thing each time I visit.

Normally, I’ll order the Rotisserie Chicken as my main item and then add the Garlic Dill New Potatoes along with Fresh Vegetable Stuffing to complete my meal.  I must have the cornbread as well.  It’s not a complete meal without bread and Boston Market® produces some pretty good cornbread in my opinion.

My hometown has yet to acquire a Boston Market® Restaurant and the nearest location is about 40 miles away.  I have lots of bittersweet memories of eating at that one location in particular.  I spent some rough hours of my life sitting out in their parking lot eating late evening suppers in my car after my wife passed away.  Maybe I can share more with you later in future posts as we build our site.

Garlic Dill New Potatoes are pretty simple to make and only use a few ingredients.  It’s a great side dish for lots of meals and should you not devour them all in one sitting, they will keep in your refrigerator for several days.  Ready?

Let’s Get Cooking!

These are the ingredients you will need.

Begin by washing and scrubbing your potatoes very well.

Place potatoes in a saucepan and cover with about an inch of water.  Bring to a boil on medium-high heat.  Once they start boiling, reduce the heat down to medium and let the potatoes boil for about 20 minutes until soft but not mushy.  You can take a knife or fork and break one open to see if it’s cooked all the way through at this point.  If not, just toss it back in the pot and let them cook a few minutes longer.

When potatoes reach the desired tenderness, remove from heat and pour into a colander to drain off the liquid.

Finely chop 2 cloves of fresh garlic.

Cut the potatoes into halves, then into quarters or wedges.  Larger potatoes should be cut into about 6 wedges.  Try to keep them all about the same size.

Place a small saucepan or skillet on medium heat and begin to melt the butter.  Watch it carefully and don’t let the butter burn.  Adjust your heat as needed as stoves will vary.

Add the chopped garlic and let it cook until slightly toasted in color.  Garlic can burn quickly so don’t let it overcook.

Strip the dill leaves from their stem and add them into the butter and garlic mixture.

Add the salt, well…..add the “blurry salt.”   Wait….I’ve got more of them.

Now add the “blurry pepper.”  See, told you I had more.  At least I’m consistent.

Add the “slightly blurry” celery seed.  OK, I’m getting better, let’s hope it holds out till we finish.

Place the potato wedges in a serving bowl.

Pour the melted butter, garlic and seasonings over the potatoes.  Gently toss them to coat each wedge.  At this point, they are ready to serve.  If you need to keep them warm, you could place them in a casserole dish and place in a slightly warm oven to hold them until needed.  Don’t leave them for long but the extra time will also allow the flavors of the seasonings to absorb into the potatoes even more.

Serve and Enjoy!

Hoppin’ John, it ain’t just for New Years any more.  This is a quick and easy recipe that serves as a side dish, or can also be a great main dish just as well.  What a great way to use a few leftover Black Eye Peas to make another meal entirely.

If you’ve ever tried Hoppin John, it may have only been on New Years Day.  But why?  It’s just too good to not prepare more often.  Let’s say you’ve got a serving or two of leftover Black Eye Peas in the refrigerator.  It’s not enough to feed several people so you’ve got to get a little more creative.  On the other hand, you could have a little cooked rice left over and don’t want to just throw it out.  This recipe will work great either way you decide to take it.  More rice…more peas….the choice is yours.

There are various ideas on where the name Hoppin John comes from for this dish.  Its found throughout the South and it’s thought that it was first introduced to America by African slaves.  It may be a popular Southern dish around New Years Day, but you don’t find a lot of Southern restaurants that still carry it on their menu’s beyond that.  Too bad. It’s a filling meal that could be prepared rather inexpensively, something restaurants are usually trying to achieve.  But, there are a select few places around that still serve it all year long.  Locally, or at least within driving range, I found it on the menu at Crook’s Corner over in Chapel Hill and at their sister place Crooks Atrium Cafe.  I’ve tried it at the Cafe and really enjoyed it.  They served it up with a little tomato, scallions and cheddar cheese on top.  Delicious.

If you’ve never tried it, give this simple recipe a go sometime.  I really think you’ll enjoy it.  Then, share your comments with me in the Comment Section at the bottom.  I’d love to know if it was served at your house, or perhaps how you might make it differently.

I’ve listed this as a side dish, but it can certainly serve as a main dish also.  Between using the rice and peas, its a great way to stretch out the family budget and fill everyone up at the same time.  So, if you’re ready to give it a try…..Let’s Get Cooking!

Hoppin’ John Recipe:  You’ll need these ingredients to prepare our version of Hoppin’ John.  You’ll need some already cooked Black Eye Peas, so its a great way to use up any leftovers.  We’re using Hog Jowl for seasoning, but you could also use Bacon or Ham Hock.

We’ll start with the Hog Jowl.  Depending on where you are in this world, you may not have heard of Hog Jowl, and you may not be able to find it at your local grocer.  As the name implies, Hog Jowl comes from the “cheek” of a pig.  It’s a bit tougher than bacon but has a very similar taste.  It’s normally smoked and cured to preserve it longer, and it can be frozen if needed, just like most any other cut of pork.  Folks around the South will mostly use it for seasoning their peas and beans  just as they would bacon, but it’s also delicious cut up in thick strips and fried.  You’ll see.

Here, I’ve sliced off three fairly thick slices of the jowl.  It looks a lot like thick sliced bacon doesn’t it?  You want need much more than 1/4th of a pound for this recipe.  Hog Jowl will either come already sliced or you might find it just as one solid section in a package.  Since it’s normally smoked and cured already, it will have a saltier taste so additional salt may not be needed.  I don’t think it’s smoked and cured as much however these days, as it was years back.  In the older days, it would have hung in a “smoke house” to cure and preserve it.  We’ll try to cover that in another post.

Place the slices in a skillet over medium heat.  You don’t want to cook it too fast as it splatters like bacon.

Fry it up just as you would some thick sliced bacon.  When it’s done to your satisfaction, remove it from the pan and place it on a couple of layers of paper towels to drain.  We’ll let it cool down a bit as we prepare the rest of the recipe.

Pour off most of the grease from the cooked Hog Jowl but not all.  Be sure to leave those brown parts because they are loaded with flavor.  Then, add your butter to the pan.

Toss in the diced bell peppers.

Add the onions.  What is it about bacon, butter, and onions that just make the kitchen smell so great?

Let it all cook down a bit over medium heat or just a little lower.  Can you smell it yet?

Stir it around as it cooks.  You want the onions to cook down until they are translucent and just slightly browned around the edges.  Don’t over cook them or burn them.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Place the black eye peas in a medium sized saucepan.  Start them off on medium heat and warm them up.

Pour in the can of chicken broth and raise the heat up to about medium-high.

Bring it up to a low boil, raising the heat a little if needed.

Add the uncooked rice once it reaches that low boil.  Of course, you could also create this recipe with cooked rice if you already have that.  That’s the beauty of cooking….you can improvise as you go…with what you already have.

Stir the rice in and let it all come back up to a boil once again.

When it starts to boil, cover the saucepan with a tight fitting lid and REDUCE the heat to a low simmer.  Let it cook for about 15 minutes and resist the urge to lift the lid during this time.  Follow the cooking times listed on your box or package of rice for best results.

While the rice is cooking with the peas, go ahead and chop up the slices of cooked Hog Jowl.

After about 15 minutes, remove the saucepan with the rice and peas and set it aside on a cloth, trivet or cool burner.

After it rests for about five minutes, lift the lid to release any steam, then close the lid for about 5 more minutes.

Use a fork and gently fluff the cooked rice up a bit.  This will help separate the grains of rice so they don’t stick together.

Add the cooked Hog Jowl to the pot.

Then, add the cooked Bell Peppers and Onions.  Stir it together gently.

Now, place it in your serving bowl.  This is a great budget stretcher meal using ingredients you’ve probably already got on hand.  You could add more peas if you like, whatever makes you happiest.  You’ll find lots of variations on Hoppin’ John across the internet.  Some include tomato, some include sausage, the variety makes it just that much better.  As for me…….

I’ll be happy with just a big old spoonful or two (or three) on my plate, along side a piece of cornbread.

Enjoy!!!

This quick and easy coleslaw recipe is a traditional side dish for lots of great southern foods.  You’ll find it served up with BBQ, Fried Chicken, Fish and Seafood at most family gatherings.  It’s also a favorite on Hamburgers, Hot Dogs and BBQ Sandwiches.  Just a few simple ingredients are all you’ll need.

We’re just a couple of days into Spring and for the past few weeks our thoughts have been turning to getting back outside.  It’s time to put away the heavy winter clothing in exchange for t-shirts and lighter wear.  We’ve already seen some summer like temperatures here in the South this year and it’s not even April yet.  Before long, we can drag out the shorts and sandals and bask in the warm sunshine, do some planting and gardening and just spend time around the picnic table with family and friends.

As a youngster, I spent as much time outside playing as I possibly could.  Of course, it didn’t matter much if it was Spring, Summer, Winter or Fall…it was just fun being outside.  My friends and I found all sorts of things to keep us busy…and active.  We had to create our own games most of the time but that wasn’t very hard to do when we put our collective minds together and started using our imaginations.

As I got older though, I found myself spending more of my time inside.  I started working at age 15 and from there on, most of my outside time dwindled away.  Many years would pass before I discovered the great outdoors once again.

In the first of 2009, I realized I needed a “hobby,” and decided it was high time to get back to doing some fishing.  I soon became the recipient of a Zebco 33 Rod and Reel, just like my dad use to fish with, and before long….I was HOOKED.  Seriously, I fell into fishing hook, line and sinker.  I just totally loved it and couldn’t wait to get back out alongside the water each day that I possibly could.

I started meeting new friends and started catching some fish.  Often times I was fishing six days a week at a large lake that is 30 miles from my home.  That was just one way.  Still, I loved it and I loved being with others that enjoyed it.  We caught fish, we threw them back in, we gave them away, it didn’t matter as long as we were fishing.

I’ve made some very close friends on The Pier where I fish.  We laugh, we fuss at each other, we try to outfish one another.  In the end, the important thing is that we’ve had a good time….then we all go our separate ways….and head back home.

I caught my first fish of the year just a few days ago.  Surprisingly, I’ve had a bit of a dry spell over the past few months.  I’ve tried to catch fish, but I just haven’t been very succesful at it.  That’s about to change though, I can feel it in my blood.  And of course, that means that before long, we’ll be enjoying some fried fish at one of my fishing buddies home.  He and his wife have been gracious enough to invite me over several times throughout the year.  We enjoy the Crappie fish that we’ve caught and really enjoy just sitting around the table sharing stories.

With the water warming back up, another Fish Fry can’t be far away.  Thus, I want to share some recipes over the next few weeks to help you put your own Fish Fry together.  I’m starting off with this recipe for Cole Slaw because you just can’t have a real Southern Fish Fry without having some delicious coleslaw.  I’ll also be adding recipes on making hoe cakes and hushpuppies, french fries and of course….Fried Fish.  I hope you’ll come along for the adventures.

This coleslaw is a bit on the sweet side….just the way I love it.  It’s great as a side dish for Fried Fish, Fried Chicken, BBQ, and lots of other Southern favorites.  It’s also fantastic served on top of BBQ Sandwiches, Hamburgers…(if you eat them) and Hot Dogs.  I love hamburgers and have ate my fair share….I just haven’t had one in over THREE YEARS now.   But, that’s another story for later.

If you’re ready for Spring, Summer and Family Get Togethers….add this coleslaw recipe to the menu.

Let’s Get Cooking!

Creamy Cole Slaw Recipe:  You’ll need these ingredients.

We’ll begin with a medium sized head of cabbage.  Peel away the outer layer or two of leaves on the cabbage.  Rinse it well under cool running water, then place it on your cutting board and carefully slice off the end with the stem.  It’s tough, so be careful when cutting it.

Stand the cabbage on it’s cut end and slice it into halves.  Then, slice each half into quarters.

Use a grater and grate each section of the cabbage quarters.  This is an old grater that my mother used.  You may have one just like it or you can use something similar.  It’s probably one of the more dangerous kitchen tools in my kitchen.  Getting use to it includes scraping your knuckles on those sharp edges a time or two, but it’s also a very versatile utensil and comes in handy.  There are newer styled gadgets to accomplish the same tasks and you could also just slice and chop with a good knife.  I understand there’s some new fangled contraption called a food processor that might also work.  I’m thinking about looking into that.  (Smile)  Then too, how much easier can it get than just buying a bag of cabbage for cole slaw already cut up at the grocery store?  Times are changing.

OK…it gets a bit messy doesn’t it?  Place the grated cabbage in a mixing bowl.  In this picture, the cabbage that actually got grated is what you see in the bowl.  It collects inside the grater as you grate.  What’s on the outside is usually larger pieces and we’ll end up chopping those some with the knife.

Just gather up the large pieces and chop them with your knife.  Make it as small or as big as you like.  Sometimes I seem to like a really finely chopped slaw and somedays I like more of a shredded slaw.  Just depends on the mood and what it’s intended for.

The center core pieces are usually discarded.  Toss them into your mulching bin if you have one.

Now, grate up a small carrot to add a little color.  Mama didn’t use carrots in her coleslaw.  I got into this habit when we had the restaurants.  You don’t use a lot, just a little to add some color and make it look pretty on the dish.

Sweet pickle relish is also needed if you have it.  Unfortunately, you probably aren’t going to have any of mama’s special recipe for her sweet pickles on hand.  That’s going to make a world of difference in this coleslaw.  OK, maybe I’m a bit partial.  Mama made her special pickles about every year.  They are a sweet pickle and she used them and their juice in all different types of recipes like Chicken Salad, Potato Salad, Deviled Eggs…lots of different things.  It’s long been a dream of mine to one day be able to produce and package these pickles and get them on the shelves of grocery stores all around the country.  To me…they’re just that good.

I never tried to make them myself until about two years ago.  Last summer, I took photos of the entire process and I hope to share it with you here on Taste of Southern before very long.  It’s going to take some time to put it all together because it takes a long time to actually make them.  Keep watching for it OK.

Chop up some sweet pickles if using them instead of relish.

Measure out about one half cup of chopped pickles or sweet relish.  Sweet Pickle Relish is available at most grocery stores and is a good substitute.  The pickles will also add some additional color to the recipe.

Place the grated cabbage in a large mixing bowl.

Add the grated carrots to the bowl.

Add the chopped pickles.

Add the Duke’s Mayonnaise.  Duke’s is a traditional southern favorite and a must have at my house.  Afterall….”It’s the Secret to Great Food.”  You can learn more about our favorite mayo by clicking this link – Duke’s Mayonnaise.  If it’s not available at your local grocery store, you can order it directly from their website.  I just thought you should know.

Add the sugar.

Add the Black Pepper.

Gently stir it all up a bit.

Add the Salt.

Add one teaspoon of vinegar.

Now, gently stir up all the ingredients until thoroughly mixed together.  Its going to be a bit juicy once the sugar starts to melt and combine with the mayonnaise.  That just makes it all that much the better.

Serve and Enjoy!

Summers bounty of vegetables are everywhere right now.  Here’s a great way to prepare some of your favorites in a way that just about anyone will love….even that person that doesn’t normally eat a lot of vegetables.  Roasting vegetables in the oven just brings about a whole different level of flavors and, this quick and simple recipe can be used as a main dish or as a side dish to just about any meal.

Roasted Vegetables Recipe:

You’ll find a printable recipe at the bottom.

I must admit that I’ve never been a really big fan of vegetables…other than potatoes.  Thus, I guess I’m really a meat and potatoes kind of guy.

This may change soon however since I’ve started roasting some vegetables in the oven.  It’s so quick and easy to do and, it’s a great way to use up a few extra vegetables that might be hanging around the kitchen.  You can use almost any type of vegetable…other than those leafy greens…for roasting.  You don’t have to follow my recipe exactly, select a few of your own favorites and give them a try.

The basics are to just keep all the vegetables cut into pretty much the same sizes.  Drizzle on a little Olive Oil…add a dash of Salt and, a little Black Pepper and…THAT’S IT.  It just doesn’t get much simpler than that.  Roasting time may vary depending on the vegetables you’re using so just remember to keep a close watch on them and not let them burn.  You want them to caramelize a bit though…that’s where all the flavors come in.

If you cut them into smaller pieces, they will cook faster so keep that in mind as you’re slicing and dicing.  And, you don’t have to use that really expensive Olive Oil that you have for your salads.  Any good Olive Oil should do the trick.

I hope you’ll give them a try.  You can probably turn those non-veggie eating folks around your home into veggie lovers.  They’re just that good.  Trust me….I almost ate the entire pan all by myself.  I just made a complete meal out of them but, they’re a great side dish with just about anything.  So….if you’re ready….Let’s Get Cooking!

Roasted Vegetables Recipe:  You’ll need these ingredients…or…some variety of your personal favorites.

As we’ve mentioned, you can use almost any variety of your favorite vegetables to roast in the oven.  This is just a quick look at how I’ve prepared the one’s that I had available.  We’ll begin by peeling off the outer skin of 2 large onions.  Then, cut the onions into about 8 good sized wedges.  Toss them into a large bowl.

Shuck the corn and remove any of the “silk” that is left on it.  A vegetable brush will come in handy to help remove them but, if you don’t have one, just go over each ear carefully and pick them off with your fingers.

I’ve sliced each ear into about 3 pieces.  BE CAREFUL if you do this.  The cobs are tough and you’ll need a good sharp knife to slice through them.  I really can’t emphasize enough how careful you really need to be in doing this step.

Wash all the other vegetables, including the corn, under cool running water.  Scrub them gently with your fingers to remove any dirt and dust.  Farmer Bill told me what type of Zucchini this yellow one is but, I’m sorry…I forgot it’s name.

I just tossed the washed vegetables in my colander and let them drain for a couple of minutes.

For the Zucchini, I cut it into about 1 inch slices, then cut each of those slices in half.

New potatoes where cut into quarters if they were larger.  Smaller ones were just cut into halves.

Then, I sliced the Summer Squash into about one inch thick slices….then cut it again into halves.

I sliced the Sweet Potato into about half inch thick slices.  For variety…I left them in whole slices.

I cut the ends off the Bell Peppers.  Then, I removed the middle parts with all the seeds by running a paring knife around the inside edges.  The pepper was cut open into one long strip, then sliced into pieces about one inch wide.  If you have them, a variety of red, green and yellow peppers will really look good in your dish.  I only had green so that’s what I used.

I love Roma Tomatoes.  I simply cut the vine end off of each one, then stood it on edge and sliced it into quarters.

Place the quartered tomatoes in a small bowl and drizzle them with a little Olive Oil.  Set them aside for the time being.

I ended up with a large bowl filled with fresh from the garden vegetables.  Ain’t they pretty?

The bowl was a little too full to stir so, I took about half of the vegetables and placed them in a plastic bag.  Then, I poured one fourth cup of Olive Oil on top of them all.  This is a quick and easy way to coat the vegetables….as long as the bag doesn’t have a hole in it.  Just saying!

Then, I just twisted the top closed and started tossing all the vegetables around in the Olive Oil.  Whether you just stir them in the bowl or, toss them around in a bag like me, you’ll want to make sure they get coated really well in the oil.  Add a little more if you think they need it.

Spread the vegetables out in a single layer on a pan that has been lined with aluminum foil.  Don’t pile them on top of each other.  They need some breathing room as they cook.

It’s good if you have a cookie sheet or jelly roll type of pan that has a small outer rim  to it.  The big part of the flavor in roasting comes from the caramelization that forms on the bottom and edges of the vegetables as they cook.  The aluminum foil will make clean up a snap so I highly recommend using it.  You can thank me later.

Sprinkle on some black pepper then place the pan in a pre-heated oven.

Bake at 375º for about 20 minutes:

After 20 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and gently stir the vegetables around.  Keep them in a single layer.

Add the slices of Roma Tomatoes to the pan and sprinkle it all with Sea Salt…or regular salt….whichever you have on hand.

Return to oven and Bake for an additional 10-20 minutes as needed until the vegetables are golden brown.

Serve them up as a side dish…or….just enjoy a delicious plate of roasted vegetables all by themselves.  They’re best when served hot so, plan your meal accordingly and add them to the table at the last minute.  They’ll keep warm in the oven if you turn it off but…be careful and don’t let them continue to cook as they might burn.  And YES…even this guy that doesn’t normally like vegetables…ate “almost” this entire plate at one sitting.  Just saying.

Enjoy!

Field peas, fresh from the garden, are a great side dish to all types of meals.  There’s just a special deliciousness to anything straight out of the garden that you don’t find in canned or frozen items.  Here’s a quick and easy side dish that’s perfect for dinner through the week or…on Sunday.

Field Peas Recipe:

One of my friends at the auction house I visit each week, recently gave me a bag of freshly shelled Field Peas.  I was very thankful to receive them…especially since they were already shelled….and, I was eager to cook them up as soon as I could.

I never was one that enjoyed trying to shell peas or butter beans.  I always bite my fingernails so I don’t usually have any to actually use in shelling peas and beans of any type.  Maybe that was why I started my nail biting in the first place, as a means to get out of shelling peas.

Fresh vegetables just have a totally awesome different taste than those that are canned or frozen.  During the summer, they are usually available already shelled at our local roadside stands or at the North Carolina State Farmers Market about 45 minutes away.

This variety is known as a Six Week Pea but Field Peas come as Crowder Peas, Purple Hull Peas and some other varieties.  All will be a great side dish and all are prepared pretty much the same way.  So, grab some when you can and….Let’s Get Cooking!

Field Peas Recipe:  You’ll need these ingredients.

My seasoning of choice for this dish is known as Side Meat.  It’s the same cut as a slab of bacon and has been cured but not smoked.  Bacon will work, bacon grease will work, salt pork and a few others will work.  It’s whatever you have on hand or whatever you personally prefer.

Side meat is available in packages in the meat department of most grocery stores.  Just a couple of miles from my home, we’ve got a produce stand that sells it.  They keep it hanging in a cabinet inside their building and you just tell them about how much you’d like to purchase.  They open the door, slice off a hunk, wrap it in butchers paper, weigh it and collect your money.  It’s pretty much the way it was done many years ago.  Just cut off a few small pieces of the side meat for the recipe.

Place the slices in a sauce pot and turn the heat to about medium to let it cook down.  We want to fry it down a bit to extract the flavors.

Yellow or white onions will work for this recipe.  I just happened to have a couple of Spring Onions on hand and wanted to use those.  I’ve rinsed it off under cool running water.

Slice off the root end of the onion.

Remove the outer leaf of the onion.  It’s usually really easy to spot, just pull it off and discard.

Slice the onion in half and line up the pieces.

Slice the onion.

Fry up the side meat until it’s golden brown.  Then, remove the pieces of meat from the pot but, leave the grease in.

Add about 2 cups of water to the sauce pot.  You need enough water to cover the peas by about an inch so it will really depend on how many peas you are cooking as to how much water you’ll need.

Bring the water up to a low boil and then add the peas.

Add in the onions.

Drop in about one teaspoon of sugar.  Sugar was mama’s secret ingredient in about all of her vegetables when she cooked them.

Stir it all together and let it come back up to a low boil.  It’s going to start foaming up a bit and we’ll want to remove that.

As the peas heat up, you’ll probably start seeing some foam in the sauce pot.  This is natural with the fresh peas but we want to scoop it out.

Grab a spoon and scoop off the foam.  Discard it.

Cover the peas and reduce the heat to about medium-low.  Let them simmer until done.

After about 25-35 minutes, take out a small spoonful of the peas and taste them for doneness.  Peas need to be fully cooked, but not mushy.

Add in the Black Pepper.

Add the salt and let the peas continue to cook until they’re done to your liking.  If by chance the water has cooked out of them, just add a little more to keep them slightly covered and let them cook.

The side meat has a skin that fries up hard.  Take your knife and slice the hard section away.  Chop the remaining pieces of meat and add them to your pot of peas.  The remaining hard pieces make a great snack to chew on while you work.  Just saying.

Serve them up warm with your favorite meats.  Of course, they can almost be a complete meal within themselves.  Maybe garnish them with a little more freshly chopped onion, grab a piece of cornbread and just dig in.  The peas went very well with my freshly sliced tomatoes.  Enjoy!