Black Eyed Pea Mash on Crispy Polenta
Miz Helen's Kitchen
Ingredients
1 one pound roll pre-cooked Polenta
2 cups cooked black eyed peas, liquid drained
3 slices bacon, cooked crisp
1/2 cup green onions with tops, sliced thin
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
juice of 1 lime
Directions
In a hot skillet cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon and drain it on a paper towel. Reserve the fat that is rendered from the bacon.
Slice the cold polenta round in 1/2 inch slices. Place the polenta rounds on to a baking sheet.
Brush both sides of the polenta round with the bacon fat.
Bake the polenta round at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Then turn the polenta rounds and cook at 450 degrees another 10 to 15 minutes until golden brown on top.
Remove the baking sheet and let the rounds cool to room temperature.
Drain the black eyed peas and place into a food processor. Process the peas for just about 3 rounds just enough to break the peas up but not puree, you want some nice chunks of the peas in the mash.
Place the pea mash into a mixing bowl.
Chop the bacon in very small pieces, reserving 1/4 of the bacon pieces for the top garnish.
Add 3/4 of the bacon pieces, garlic, onions, jalapenos cumin, salt, pepper, cayenne, and lime juice to the mash and mix well.
Let chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving.
After the pea mash has chilled scoop 1 tablespoon of the mash to the top of the crispy polenta round and garnish with green onion top and bacon pieces.
For the Blacked Eye Pea Mash Dip, after the mash has chilled serve with corn chips and garnish with green onion tops and bacon pieces.
Enjoy!