For The Love of Peas

Here in the southernmost part of the United States, it is dang hot.  Hot.  Miserably hot.  The people who know me well will testify that I am a better person when the first cool front blows through.  I turn into a giddy little schoolgirl.  Nothing good happens down here in August and September, or so I thought until I discovered Purple Hull peas.

 

About four years ago, I read a column in our local paper in which the author spoke of shelling Purple Hulls and how they are more difficult to find, but taste better than Black Eyed peas.  Not long after that, a good friend of mine mentioned something about Purple Hulls, and I began hunting for them in the grocery stores.  I found my first bag at a farmer's market, and I was hooked.  I would even say, obsessed.  I had to plant them in my own garden.  I have a small plot in our back yard - only 5'x14'. The first year, I planted a small area. This summer, I filled almost the entire garden!  I left room for three fall tomatoes, kept my pepper plants from the spring, and planted three small rows of okra.  Peas are the only reason for joy in this kind of heat.  Plant them in late June, and they thrive. A side note: I live in Zone 9, so we get hot quickly and for a long time.

These look so beautiful in the garden - the dark green leaves contrasting with the deep purple pods.

They look the same as a Black Eyed pea - except with purple eyes!

This is roughly 2 lbs. from the first harvest. Peas will sometimes reproduce. Last year's garden did not, but we have been fortunate this year, and some of the vines are even on their third round. Don't think that a small garden cannot feed your family - unless you have 10 kids. Then you need a farm.

I have a fondness for peas for a few reasons: one is that the plants are small, and you can put a lot of them in a compact space, about two inches apart. Planting them closely together also helps tremendously with keeping weeds out of the garden. The other reason is that if some of the pods dry out on the vine, all is not lost.  Shell them anyway, and store the dried peas in a jar. When you are ready to cook them, soak them overnight in water just as you would dried beans.  No pea goes to waste in my house!  Peas that are not dried out can be stored in the freezer immediately after shelling.  The leftover pods can be tossed into the compost bin, or just throw them out into the garden - they are great for your soil.

My favorite way to serve Purple Hulls is simply to combine the frozen peas in a large pot with a chopped onion and sausage (my preference is venison or venison and pork).  Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 45 minutes.  DO NOT add salt until just before serving, as salt will make the peas (and beans, for that matter) mushy.  Salt and pepper to taste. Much of the flavor will come from the onion and sausage.  I serve this with a side of collard greens and buttermilk cornbread.  Get yourself some iced tea, and you have a meal that's about as southern as you can get!