Caribbean Rice and Peas

We made this wonderful recipe last night.  I was excited about it because if was full of all the veggies that I love and that my family hates.  To my surprise, not only did my husband eat it and like it, so did both of our kids!  They ate their entire bowl.  I served it with rolls, which was a plus, too.  Anyway, since our family liked it so much that we want to make it again, I thought that someone else out there might like it, too.

Caribbean Rice and Peas--courtesy of Food Network & Food Network Magazine

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Inactive Prep Time: ---

Cook Time: 1 hr. 15 min.

Level: Easy

Serves:4 (unless you double the rice, then it gets you another day out of it)

Ingredients:

10 ounces frozen black-eyed peas, thawed

kosher salt

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

6 ounces turkey kielbasa (or other smoked sausage,) thinly sliced

1 large bunch scallions, sliced, white, and green parts separated

2 small ribs celery, diced

6 cloves garlic, sliced (I used 2 tablespoons of minced garlic instead)

1 jalapeno, finely chopped (I used 2 tablespoons of this and just added more to mine)

2 teaspoons jerk seasoning

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup uncooked long-grain brown rice

2 bay leaves (I left this out)

4 cups stemmed and chopped collard greens (I used frozen and it was just fine)

Directions:

Combine the black-eyed peas , 3 cups water and a pinch of salt in a small pot.  Cover and bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat.  Add the kielbasa and cook until golden, about 2 minutes.  Add the scallion whites, celery, garlic, jalapeno, jerk seasoning and a generous pinch of salt.  Cook until the vegetables brown, about 5 minutes.  Add the thyme and tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomato paste turns brick red, about 2 more minutes.  Add the rice, bay leaves, and the black-eyed peas with their liquid to the skillet and bring to a boil; do not stir.

Add the collards; cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer undisturbed until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 50 minutes; set aside for 10 minutes.  Remove and discard the bay leaves.

Just before serving, add the scallion greens and fluff with a fork.

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If you had extra rice, don't forget the extra water.  I found the extra water wasn't enough, so I had to keep adding more, so I would recommend stirring it and doing a taste test a few times after the water is added and starts to recede.