Black Eye Pea Fritter Recipes

BLACK-EYED PEA FRITTERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, red pepper and garlic and saute until soft, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add 2/3 of the black-eyed peas and mash all the ingredients together with a potato masher. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
• Add the flour, egg, green onion, oregano, lemon zest, cayenne, and 1/4 to 1/2 cup breadcrumbs to the pea mixture. Fold in the cheese and remaining black-eyed peas. Season with salt and pepper.
• Place the remaining breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl. Divide the batter into 12 portions using a 1 1/2-ounce portion scoop. Press into flat 1/2-inch-thick discs and coat in the remaining breadcrumbs.
• Wipe out the skillet. Heat the remaining oil and, in batches, sear the fritters until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Place on a baking sheet and finish cooking in the oven until cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Top with the onion jam and garnish with the green onions.
• Melt the butter in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, lemon zest, ginger, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until the onions start to turn translucent, about 5 minutes
• Add the coriander, 1/4 cup of the brown sugar and half the lemon juice and turn the heat to low. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions start to cook down and the liquid is evaporated, about 15 minutes. Add 1/3 cup water every 10 minutes and continue to cook until the onions are thick and golden brown, about 55 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar and the lemon juice and cook until the brown sugar melts, 3 to 5 minutes more. Season to taste.

BLACK-EYE PEA FRITTER

Steps:

• In a bowl, cover the beans with water, and soak overnight in a cool or refrigerated place. After draining the beans, peel off the outer skins.
• In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the beans until the are finely ground. Turn the mixture out into a bowl.
• In the bowl of the same food processor, put the onion, garlic, and scallions; process until finely chopped. Add onion mixture to beans, and add the rest of the spices. Put the mixture into the refrigerator for 1/2 hour.
• Heat the oil to 350 degrees F, using a # 40 ice cream scooper or a tablespoon, drop the mixture into the oil, and fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels or brown paper bags.
• Serve with Cilantro Yogurt Sauce.
• Put the yogurt, cilantro, cucumber, garlic, lime juice, and sugar in a bowl and mix to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Put mixture into the refrigerator until ready to serve.

BLACK-EYED PEA FRITTERS

Steps:

• Place the black-eyed peas in a large bowl with enough hot water to cover. Soak for at least 15 minutes (longer, even overnight, is fine), until the skins easily peel off when rubbed between the palms of your hands. Rub the skins off the peas, letting the skins float to the top. Slowly pour out the water and the skins with it, leaving the peas in the bowl. Repeat until all the peas are cleaned.
• Drain the peas and place in a food processor along with the onion, baking soda, salt, a splash of water and the black and red pepper, if using. Process until a smooth batter forms, adding a little more water if necessary. The batter should be smoothly blended, similar to the consistency of light hummus.
• Pour oil into a large cast-iron skillet or other heavy, straight-sided pan to a depth of 1 inch. Heat oil to 365 degrees over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and, using a spoon, carefully drop 1 tablespoon of batter into the oil. Repeat until there are several dollops in the pan, being careful not to overcrowd. Fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes, turning the fritters once. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towel and keep warm. Repeat until all batter is used.
• To serve, split 1/4 baguette or a pita bread and fill with 3 or 4 fritters, a generous spoonful of pickled carrots, and some lettuce, tomato, onion and cilantro. (Alternatively, arrange accara, without the bread, on a platter and serve with drinks.) Serve immediately.

BLACK-EYED PEA FRITTERS ("ACCARA")

Steps:

• For the fritters: Place two-thirds of the black eyed peas, 1/4 cup of water, the olive oil, salt and pepper in a food processor and blend to a smooth paste. Add the remaining peas and the scallions and pulse 4 or 5 times to break up the peas but not completely puree them. Scoop about a heaping tablespoon of the mixture at a time into your hands and form about 24 balls. (The balls do not need to be perfectly round--they are more authentic if roughly formed.) Put the cornmeal in a shallow baking dish. Roll the balls in the cornmeal, leaving them in the baking dish, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• For the sauce: Heat the peanut oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the habaneros and onions and cook until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt and black pepper. When the tomatoes start to break down and get soft, put a lid on the pan, lower the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Let the sauce cool slightly, and then blend in a food processor until smooth.
• Pour 2 to 3 inches of peanut oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan or Dutch oven. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil registers 375 degrees F. Fry the fritters, in 2 or 3 batches, about 4 minutes per batch. Remove to drain on a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Season lightly with salt and serve with the spicy tomato sauce on the side.

BLACK-EYED PEA FRITTERS WITH HOT PEPPER RELISH

Steps:

• Soak peas for fritters:
• Put peas in water to cover by 2 inches and soak 8 hours. Drain in a colander.
• Make relish:
• Purée bell peppers, onion, tomatoes, chile, and salt in 2 batches in a food processor.
• Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then stir in purée (use caution as it will splatter). Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until most of liquid is evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
• Make fritters:
• Purée peas, onion, and chile in food processor until as smooth as possible, then blend in egg and salt. With motor running, add 3 tablespoons water and blend until smooth and fluffy (add remaining tablespoon water if necessary to form a batter just thin enough to drop from a spoon).
• Fry fritters:
• Heat oil in a 4-quart heavy pot (preferably cast-iron) until thermometer registers 360°F. Working in batches of 8, gently drop tablespoons of batter into hot oil, using a small spoon to scrape batter from tablespoon. Fry, stirring constantly (to prevent fritters from browning too quickly), until golden, about 2 minutes, then transfer to paper towels to drain. Return oil to 360°F between batches.