Black-eyed pea-crab salad with ruby grapefrui
4 Servings
Ingredients
| Quantity | Ingredient | |
|---|---|---|
| 1½ | cup | Black-eyed peas (soaked |
| Overnight) -- drained | ||
| 1 | quart | Ham hock broth or water |
| Salt -- to taste | ||
| 4 | slices | Bacon -- diced |
| 1 | pounds | Fresh lump crabmeat (Gulf |
| Coast preferred) | ||
| 1 | medium | Red bell pepper -- seeded, |
| Finely diced | ||
| 1 | medium | Yellow bell pepper -- seeded |
| Finely diced | ||
| 1 | medium | Green bell pepper -- seeded, |
| Finely diced | ||
| 1 | large | Purple onion -- minced |
| 3 | Whole scallions -- thinly | |
| Sliced | ||
| 1 | large | Tomato -- seeded and diced |
| 1 | teaspoon | Fresh thyme -- chopped |
| 1 | teaspoon | Fresh marigold mint or |
| Tarragon -- chopped | ||
| 1 | teaspoon | Fresh chervil -- chopped |
| 1 | cup | Grapefruit Vinaigrette |
| (separate recipe) | ||
| 4 | Whole ruby grapefruit | |
| (peeled) -- sections | ||
| Removed | ||
| 8 | Whole fresh cilantro sprigs | |
| For garnish | ||
Directions
Place the drained black-eyed peas in a saucepan with the ham hock broth or water, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Toward the end of the cooking time, taste the peas and season with salt. Drain and set aside.
In a skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until all the fat is rendered. Transfer the bacon to a large mixing bowl and add the crabmeat, vegetables, peas, and herbs. Mix together until thoroughly combined.
Combine the salad with the vinaigrette. Mound the tossed salad on a large serving platter, leaving at least 2 inches around the edge of the platter. Arrange the grapefruit sections around the salad, and garnish the grapefruit sections with the cilantro springs.
Chef's Notes: Chef Stephan Pyles of Star Canyon tells us that "This easy, do-ahead salad is a perfect entree for a summer lunch or picnic. Black-eyed peas, crab, and grapefruit may not exactly be an orthodox combination, but they are all staples of Texas cookery and go well together. " Entered into MasterCook by Terri Law, 8/22/96.
Recipe By : Stephan Pyles in __The New Texas Cuisine__