Curried Field Pea Stuffed Tomatoes
As a child, I spent my summers riding my Huffy dirt bike all over the neighborhood. My buddies and I would swim in the creek looking for crawdads and salamanders and the occasional snake. We built forts in the woods with plywood and nails liberated from the nearby construction sites. Almost every night we played “Ghost in the Graveyard” and caught lightning bugs when the sun went down. When I had to do chores or cut the neighbor’s lawn, I would put on my Sony Walkman and rock out to Prince’s Purple Rain: “You say you want a leader, But you can’t seem to make up your mind, I think you better close it, And let me guide you to the purple rain…”
And while I personally can’t stand the Bryan Adams song, Summer of 69. I can relate to the lyrics when he nostalgically sings: “that summer seemed to last forever, And if I had the choice, Yeah, I’d always want to be there, Those were the best days of my life.” Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t trade my life now for anything in the world. I have a beautiful wife and two amazing daughters. But back then, summers did seem to last forever. And while those days weren’t the best of my life, they were totally awesome. But, you can’t do that kind of stuff today.
I mean, parents (for good reason) don’t let their kids stay gone all day long without knowing their whereabouts. Creeks now days are usually too polluted to play in, and I believe it is a felony to procure building products from a construction site regardless of how cool the fort might be. I don’t know about “Ghost in the Graveyard,” but you can’t find a Sony Walkman or a good cassette tape these days. So I sit here in my kitchen fondly remembering my summers as a child.
Those memories inspired my next dish. Being raised in the South meant that field peas and tomatoes were plentiful during the summer. And these two ingredients got me thinking. Sure the kids are back in school and the days are growing a bit shorter, but we can still have one last taste of sunshine. So with my roots set firmly in the South, I combine the humble field pea with one of my favorite spices. I give you my version of fusion food with CURRIED FIELD PEA STUFFED TOMATOES.
Ingredients
- ½ Cup Carrots (diced)
- ½ Cup Onions (diced)
- 3 Garlic Cloves (minced)
- 3 Cups Vegetable Broth
- ½ Cup White Wine
- 2 Cups Field Peas
- 1 Tsp. Ginger Root (grated)
- 2 Tsp. Curry Powder
- ½ Tsp. Cumin
- ½ Tsp. Turmeric
- 1 Med Red Bell Pepper (chopped)
- 1 Med Yellow Bell Pepper (chopped)
- 1 Med Zucchini (chopped)
- ½ Cup Raisins
- 1 Tbs. Fresh Cilantro (chopped)
- 4 Heirloom Tomatoes
Instructions
First of all, I have to admit that I used frozen field peas for this dish. It has been a rainy summer this year, and I just didn’t want to go slogging around the farmer’s market to find fresh ones. Lucky for me, the frozen kind worked out. Also, if you can’t find field peas readily available, black-eyed peas would work just as well in this dish. Heck, I would guess that just about any bean would work. Give it a try and let me know.
Now that I have made my confession, it is time to cook the field peas. In a saucepan over medium heat, add your carrots and onions along with about ½ cup of your broth. Bring this mix to a simmer and cook until the veggies are soft (about 5 minutes). Then add the field peas, remaining broth, wine, and garlic. Bring the mix to a boil and reduce to a nice low simmer. As the peas simmer, toss in your garlic, ginger, curry, cumin, and turmeric. Cook everything until the peas are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated (about 20 minutes).
While your peas are cooking, chop up your peppers, zucchini, and cilantro. Put these in a mixing bowl and put them in the frig until you are ready to assemble your dish. Now take the tops off your tomatoes, and using a sharp paring knife, core out the tomatoes so you have a tomato bowl to hold the peas. Don’t throw out the guts of the tomato as those are the best part. Chop them up and throw them in the mix.
Once your peas are done, pour them out on a cookie sheet and cool. Once the peas are cool enough to handle, pour them into the mixing bowl with the chopped veggies. Add in your raisins and mix to combine thoroughly. Place everything back in the frig for about 30 minutes to an hour as I like this dish served cold. Also, the time in the frig allows all the flavors to combine.
Fill each tomato bowl with an ample amount of the field pea mix, and dinner is ready. I serve my tomatoes on a bed of sautéed spinach and arugula that I cooked and cooled earlier.
https://www.grassfedcarnivore.com/stuffed-tomatoes/Now, take your plate out to the back porch and savor each bite as you watch the lightning bugs come out and think about your summers as a kid. When supper is over, just for old time’s sake, challenge the family to a little “Ghost in the Graveyard.” These are the best days of your life. Longer Letter Later.
A Taste of Summer
Love, Bob aka The Grassfed Carnivore
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