Jamie's Oozy Beans with Spinach

This recipe is long overdue and as I had mentioned my last blog post on Chicken Masala Roast with Soya Sauce, I will be sharing roasts as we get into the holiday season of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year to help you prepare your celebratory meal. This is a perfect side to your Roast. I had served this with Jamie Oliver's Perfect Pork Loin with Crackling. Of course Jamie's Oozy Beans were Borlotti Beans (aka Cranberry beans) served with Agretti. Since Agretti was unavailable, I substituted with Spinach and Parsley. Also since I had no idea of where to get Borlotti Beans from or if they were even available in the local market, I substituted it with black-eyed beans or black-eyed peas which in some cultures are served within a New Year meal as it is supposed to ward of evil eyes. As noticed above, I have also substituted a couple of ingredients owing to the fact that it was no available in the local market.

This has to be the most simple side dish you can prepare to go with your elaborate main course and it is incredibly healthy. 

You need:

• 1 small potato, cut in half
• 1 large tomato
• Water as required
• 3 cups of black-eyed peas/ black-eyed beans
• Bouquet of garni (as Jamie calls it - thyme, bay and sage leaves tied together. I used dried sage instead)
• Pinch of Soda Bicarbonate
• 6 tbsp + 1 drizzle of EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 1 bunch of parsley, few basil leaves, chives, thyme leaves (as available), finely chopped
• 1 bunch of spinach, cleaned and chopped

The Make

Preparation time: 10 minutes | Soaking Time: 4 hours min | Cooking Time: up to 1 hour | Serves 4-5 adults

1. If you were using dry Borlotti Beans then you could soak it overnight in  a large pot with the beans covering only 1/4 of the pot and the rest covered with water and a pinch of soda bicarb. Then discard the water. In my case, since I was using the smaller black eyed peas, I soaked mine for 4-5 hours only.

2. In a large pot add the beans, herb bouquet, potato and tomato in full. Fill the pot up with water (twice as much as the beans).

3. Bring the beans to a gentle simmer for 50-60 minutes. When it is about to boil, turn down the flame. Resist the urge to cook these beans in a pressure cooker as the turn out would be different and so would the taste.

4. Next take out the potatoes, the herb bouquet, squish some of the tomato pulp with the back of a ladle into the pot and take the tomato out.

5. Next pour out 80% of the residual liquid from the pot into a bowl. Mash up the cooked potato halves and put some of it back to the pot to add a creamy texture.

6. Add the olive oil in the pot with the salt and vinegar and toss it over in the pot taking care not to mash the beans. Add one more drizzle of EVOO on top.

7. Add the chopped herbs and toss once more.

8. Cook the chopped spinach in salted, boiling water in another pot for 2 minutes and then drain it out and toss it in the roasting pan of your cooked choice of roast as if cleaning the roasting pan with it.

9. Add a bit of the reserved residual liquid from the pot which was set aside earlier to the beans pot and toss. Taste and add more EVOO and vinegar if required.

10. Serve the beans on a flat serving tray and top with the spinach tossed in the roasting juices. Then pour any residual juice from the roasting pan on top. Top with a slice of the pork loin or your roast and pour some of the roast's prepared gravy on top.

Jamie added a very important tip for those who hate beans for the obvious breaking wind ;) add Summer Savoury herbs. I checked it is available as an online buy on Ebay here. You can also add a few cloves of chopped garlic when cooking the beans.

Serve these Oozy beans with your favourite roast or Jamie's Perfect Pork Loin with Crackling.

Creole Black Eyed Peas with Ham and Rice - A New Year Special

In bright expectation for the New Year, most Southerns (Southern United States), include Black Eyed Peas in their menu. The reason? It is said to bring prosperity and in some parts of the world it is believed to ward off the evil eye. Hoppin' John is another such Lucky New Year recipe which can be made with bacon or ham and black-eyed peas. Black-eyed peas is said to bring about luck and hence it forms a part of G'Gina's Kitchenette's New Year Lucky food.You can also serve this dish with Pasta if you do not fancy rice much. In other parts of the world like Vietnam, black eyed peas is also used in a sweet dish called chè đậu trắng (black eyed peas and sticky rice with coconut milk).

This recipe is best cooking through slow cooking process over 6-8 hrs in a slow cooker.

 You need:

• 500 gms of black-eyed peas
• 600 gms of ham, diced
• 500 gms of smoked sausage, diced 
• 4 - 6 cups of water
• 3-4 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 large bell pepper, diced
• 1 cup of  fresh chopped parsley
• 1 large shallot, diced
• 4-6 onions, diced
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp Cayenne pepper or Paprika
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp cajun pepper (optional)
• Drizzle of Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup of Homemade Tomato Puree
• A shake of dried oregano and dried thyme
• Cooked rice of your choice or pasta of your choice as desired
• Spring onions or green onions to garnish (optional)

The make:

Preparation Time: 20 minutes | Cooking Time: 1 hr to 8 hrs (depending on whether you are opting for slow cooking) | Serves 6-8 adults

1. Rinse and soak the black-eyed peas overnight with 3-4 cups of water more than the level of the peas in a deep bottomed vessel.

2. Drain the peas and place it in the slow cooker or a deep-bottomed pot with 4-6 cups of water. Add the ham to the pot.

3. Add in the remaining ingredients except the rice and garnish.

4. Turn the temperature of the slow cooker on the low (the same with the deep bottomed pot). Cover and cook. If using a slow cooker, cook for about 6-8 hrs and after about 5-6 hours, check to see if more water is required and give in a quick stir. If using the pot, then check in about 20-25 minutes and raise the temperature to medium, cover and cook.

5. If the peas seems too thick, add more water to desired consistency and cook for up to an hour in the deep-bottomed pot or up to 8 hrs in the slow cooker.

6. Serve over hot rice or choice of cooked pasta with garnish (optional).

You can also make this dish without the ham and sausage. It will taste just as good! G'Gina's Kitchenette would like to wish all of its readers a very Happy New Year 2013 in advance.

Tangy Three Pea (Black Eyed Peas, Cowpeas and Pigeon-Pea) in Sofrito (Spanish Tomato sauce)

It has been a while since my last post. This is because I am on vacation and also because I have been experimenting with some of my older recipes in a modern light and with a few new adventurous recipes inspired by some of my favourite popular chefs. That will follow in posts to come. I have had quite a few requests for international vegetarian cuisine. Today I have for you a Spanish inspired dish that I served with white long grained rice and brown rice. You can also accompany it with Spanish Rice.

Tangy Three Pea in Sofrito served with Rice

I chose the Black Eyed Pea, CowPea and Split Pigeon Pea as I thought it would make for a very good combination and I was right it did! Black Eyed Pea is commonly made over New Year's. It is said to ward of 'Bad Eye' and helps kick start the New Year on a clean slate!

You need:

• 2 bell peppers - finely diced
• 2 cups Homemade Tomato puree or 1 cup crushed tomatoes *Note if using commercial tomato puree, you can add just one can
• 2 cups Black Eyed Peas
• 2 cups Cowpeas or Red Lobia
• 11/2 cups Split Pigeon-Pea or Toor Dal
• 1 tbsp ground pepper 
• 1 tbsp paprika (optional - additional 1 tbsp if you like it spicy)
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 large onions diced small
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 1 cup vegetable stock (or beef or chicken stock. You can also add  2 cups of sliced chorizo if you are opting for the non-veg option)
• 1 bay leaf
• Optional - 1 tsp Asafoetida powder
• 1 bunch cilantro finely diced
• 1-2 dried red chilies

The make:

Preparation time: 8 hrs, Cooking Time: 1 hour, Serves 4-6 adults

Last stir in



Showing off my 3-pea magic



1. Clean and soak the Black Eyed Peas and Cowpeas overnight with at least 2-3 cups more water than the quantity of peas. Drain off before use.
2. Make a sofrito of the tomato puree, bell peppers, paprika, garlic and salt. Sofrito is a basic tomato sauce that is used commonly all over Spain. I have not mentioned this separately in another recipe as I did not make the traditional one made with crushed tomatoes this time. I basically used my Homemade Tomato Puree along with the above mentioned ingredients. To make the Sofrito, heat 1 tbsp of Olive oil and saute the onions and garlic until translucent. Add the bell peppers and saute for another 5 mins. Lower the heat to avoid the veggies from burning and add the tomato puree or crushed tomatoes. Season with salt and paprika. Saute for another 5-10 minutes. Set aside
3. Cook the peas in a deep bottomed pot or pressure cook for 10-15 minutes with Asafoetida(optional) and ground pepper.
4. Saute the dried red chilis in Olive Oil for a minute and add the sofrito. Add the cooked peas to the sofrito and top with cilantro. Serve hot with Spanish Rice or white long grain rice.

Served up!