Lucky Black-Eyed Peas

Happy New Years (a few days early)! Since 2013 is just around the corner, its time you get your lucky black-eyed pea recipe on the menu for Monday night!

This recipe was given to me by one of my neighbors. As you know, I write a monthly Resident Recipe column for our neighborhood, and this one was featured in our December 2012 magazine. Here’s the article:

Shelley was never a huge fan of black-eyed peas, but when you live in the south, you don’t have much choice. Eating black-eyed peas on New Years Day is good luck and is supposed to bring prosperity.

Shelley’s salad takes regular canned black-eyed peas to the next level. She makes this salad every New Years Day, and people who say they don’t like black-eyed peas LOVE this salad! 

Lucky Black-Eyed Peas
Ingredients
MUSTARD HONEY VINAIGRETTE
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
2 tsp. honey
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. tabasco sauce
2 cloves minced garlic
Fresh milled pepper
3/4 cup vegetable oil

SALAD
2 (14 oz.) cans black-eyed peas, drained
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced celery
1 red pepper – 1/2″ diced cubes
1 yellow pepper – 1/2″ diced cubes
2/3 cup chopped red onion
2/3 cup chopped parsley

Directions
1. Prepare Honey Mustard Vinaigrette: Whisk together the balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, Tabasco, garlic and pepper. Whisk in the vegetable oil. (It can be made a day in advance.)
2. Prepare Salad: Mix salad ingredients and gently toss with vinaigrette. Refrigerate 1-4 hours.
3. Add parsley just before serving, reserving a little to sprinkle on top for garnish.

*Note: Can be served on a bed of greens for decoration. Salad tastes better the next day.

Yield: 4-6 servings
Recipe from: my neighbor, Shelley