Foods of the African-American Experience

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Outside of the all-American burger, the first American food I knew about when I was growing up in Sweden was soul food. Soul food (the term entered the American lexicon in the '60s, as soul music gained popularity) refers to Southern-style cooking -- fried chicken, collard greens, ham hocks, chitterlings, catfish, and more. However, as I learned early on, though rooted in the culinary contributions of African-Americans, there are regional differences throughout the South, and a cook preparing North Carolina barbecue is making a very different style of food than, say, a Creole cook, who draws upon French, Spanish, French-Caribbean, African, and American influences. As I was writing The Soul of a New Cuisine, my tribute to the foods of Africa, I learned that there is a very distinct parallel between the cooking of the American South and West Africa. Slaves brought to the southern states from West Africa introduced many of their traditional foods, including watermelon, sesame seeds, eggplant, okra, peanuts, yams, and the cow pea, also known as black-eyed peas. In honor of Black History Month, I share with you one of the classic recipes of African-American cooking, Black-Eyed Peas, a great side dish to enjoy all year long. Black-Eyed Peas 4 servings 2 cups black-eyed peas, soaked for 8 hours 1/2 cup butter or nitir q'ibe 1 red onion, peeled and sliced 4 tomatoes, chopped 2 Scotch bonnet chiles, ribs and seeds removed, chopped 3 garlic cloves, chopped 1 2-inch piece ginger, peeled and chopped 1 tablespoon berbere, or curry powder 2 teaspoons turmeric 2 cups chicken stock 1 can coconut milk 1 teaspoon salt 2 cilantro sprigs 2 scallions, sliced 1. Rinse and drain the peas. Combine the peas with 4 cups of water in a large pot and simmer uncovered for 1 hour, until the peas are tender. Strain and set aside. 2. Melt the butter in a deep pot over medium heat. Add the onions, tomatoes and chiles and sauté until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes then add the garlic, ginger, berbere, and coconut milk and bring to a simmer, then stir in the turmeric, chicken stock and 1 cup of water simmer uncovered over low heat until liquid thickens, about 20 minutes. Add the peas and salt and simmer until the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. 3. Before serving, stir in the cilantro and scallion.