Purple Hull Peas...you should eat them.

As I mentioned my last blog, Jeff and I get a lot of our food from a local farm, Texas Daily Harvest.  I noticed one day they had a lot of purple hull peas.  I had no idea what purple hull peas were, and being told they were similar to black eyed peas didn't win them any points, but I was still curious.  Jeff likes black eyed peas (bleh, one of the worst foods if you ask me), and I am all about cooking what is growing now(I look at this as training for next year when we join a CSA), so if Purple Hull Peas were in season, I would give them a try.  Having no idea how to cook them, I went to the Purple Hull Pea festival website and found this recipe.  Then I  made it work with what I had.

You will need:
1 pint shelled purple hull peas
4 slices good bacon
salt
water

Directions

Rinse and drain the peas really well and remove and stems or other hitchhikers.

Dice the slices of bacon and render in a pan.  Yes, I left the bacon fat for this recipes.  But I am eating peas, let me have my bacon fat.  Once the bacon is rendered, add the drained peas, and enough water to cover the peas...plus some.  Of course, the peas float, so I don't know how you are supposed to know how much water that is.  I think I used about 4 cups.  Just make it look like the picture below:

 Boil over medium heat for about 45 minutes.  The timing is crucial.  I don't like mushy peas, but I want them cooked through.  If you boil them properly, they will be done in 45 minutes.  I would drain any excess water as opposed to letting it boil off.

Makes about 4 servings.  

That's what's for dinner!  

Trust me, you will like them.