Black-Eyed Pea Salad

© Nikki Rose

We eat a lot of beans in Crete. Some varieties are made into fritters (chickpeas and split yellow peas) and added to a long list of vegetable or meat dishes. Some are mashed and served as a dip along with other meze items. We also use chickpea flour for rustic breads. I like beans as the star of a salad. Certain beans make ideal medleys with certain herbs. For instance, black-eyed peas with fresh dill is a fantastic combination. Lentils have a very robust flavour, so they hold up to powerful seasonings and garlic. Plan to make bean salads about an hour before serving (or overnight) to let the flavours meld. Bean salads will be kept under refrigeration for 3 days.

Ingredients

Serves 4-6 people as part of meze.

• 2 cups cooked black-eyed peas
• 1 small onion, diced (purple onions work great for this)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
• 1 small chili pepper, minced or a pinch of dried red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
• a pinch of salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. Mix all ingredients together
2. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving
3. Kali Orexi! Chef Nikki Rose.