Mexican food: Quinoa with Chipotle-Bacon and Black Peas

If you are looking for a dish to surprise and fulfill your family and friends with, then here is the solution, you should try out the chipotle-bacon black eyed peas. You have probably heard about the black eyed peas they are mostly used in New Year’s Day celebration in a dish known as “Hoppin John” in the South it is believed to bring a year full of good luck. There are many types of black eyed peas you can use these are frozen, dried or fresh ones, it is advisable to keenly follow the cooking or soaking guidelines on the package for the dried or fresh one. If you want to save time you could use the canned ones this will take you only 15 minutes although it is advisable to cook longer on low heat for a lip-smacking taste. Don’t throw away the remains because they are also as tasty.

We are also going to use other spicy ingredients that are bacon and chipotle. You can access chipotle at specialty food stores, supermarkets mostly in the Mexican/Latino section or in Tiendas in places with a Mexican community. For those who can’t access this ingredient, the good news is that you can self-make it and all you require is a blender, canned or jarred chipotles in adobo and water, blend this to make a thick paste. Here is how to prepare this meal;

INGREDIENTS

• 6 slices of bacon preferably chipotle bacon
• 1 slice medium sized onion
• 4 minced cloves of garlic
• 2 cups of black eyed peas
• A cup broth that is chicken, beef or vegetable
• 2 tbsp. chipotle paste
• Oregano, parsley or cut cilantro garnish which non-compulsory

PROCEDURE

1. Fry bacon until crunchy, put them separately leaving some oil in the pan at least 1 to 2 tbs.
2. In the frying pan with the leftover bacon fat stir fry the onions until they are soft and glowing.
3. In a pot put in and bring to boil on medium heat the following combination; black-eyed peas, fried onions, chipotle paste, broth, and garlic.
4. For those who do not enjoy too many spices, they can always start with 1 tablespoon of chipotle paste and go adding more midway through the cooking until they are ok with the outcome.
5. Just Cover your meal on low heat and let it cook until almost all the water is absorbed.
6. Then as you stir crush in the bacon.
7. Add some salt or pepper but only after tasting, this is because this dish is known to be very tasty and normally it does not require adding.
8. There you go your yummy meal is ready, you can already tell with the taste garnish it as you desire with either parsley, oregano and chopped cilantro.

Your mouth-watering meal is ready it adequately serves four people, and the most preferred ways of serving it is with rice or quinoa (If you want to learn more about how to cook quinoa, visit our additional resources: cook quinoa), you could also serve it in a dish with cornbread. You can’t forget some side dishes for example in the south most people prefer this meal with kale, mustard greens and collards as a side dish, a little cream goes a long way in sweetening the vegetables this helps in completing the meal. The vegetarians have not been left behind they can simply do away with the bacon and substitute it with olive oil.

TRY IT AND ENJOY