017 / 75 · A Hot Meal to Carry

Black-Eyed Pea and Tomato Thermos Stew

3 stew portions · Active 20 min · Total 40 min

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Canned black-eyed peas make a quick tomato stew with a distinctive soft texture and a little bite from the skins. Celery, carrot and onion form the base, with smoked paprika and coriander adding warmth. The stew is thick enough to carry in a food flask but still has broth around the beans. Crushing a few peas against the pot gives that broth body without a separate thickener.

Jump to ingredients

Black-eyed pea and tomato stew with carrot, celery and parsley.

Start with the small vegetables

Finely dice the carrot and celery so they soften during the short simmer. Large chunks would still be firm when the canned peas are ready. Cook the onion slowly enough to become translucent without blackening the edges. This modest first stage provides the foundation for a stew whose main ingredient is already cooked.

Use the peas gently

Drain and rinse the black-eyed peas, then fold them through the tomato base. Hard stirring can split their skins and turn the stew pasty. Mash only a spoonful or two near the end. The remaining whole peas should be easy to recognize, and a spoonful of stew should contain both vegetables and beans.

Finish with a measured splash

Cider vinegar is added at the end to brighten the pot. Start with the listed amount; it should make the tomato taste clearer, not turn the stew sour. Parsley keeps its color better when added after the heat is off.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil (15 ml)
  • 1 small onion, finely diced (100 g)
  • 1 medium carrot, finely diced (80 g)
  • 1 celery stalk, finely diced (50 g)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 can chopped tomatoes (14.5 oz/411 g)
  • 2 cans black-eyed peas (15 oz/425 g each), drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup low-sodium vegetable stock (240 ml)
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
  • 2 teaspoons cider vinegar (10 ml)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Set out

3-quart saucepan, Wooden spoon, Food thermometer for reheating

Allergens

Celery. Check labels and substitutions.

Make it

  1. Heat oil in the saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion, carrot and celery for 7–8 minutes, stirring, until beginning to soften.
  2. Add garlic, paprika and coriander and stir for 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, stock and salt and simmer for 8 minutes.
  3. Fold in black-eyed peas and simmer gently for 7–8 minutes, until the carrot is tender and the peas are hot throughout.
  4. Mash two spoonfuls of peas against the pot side and stir them into the broth. Add vinegar and parsley.
  5. Serve or pack hot into a preheated food flask. Refrigerate unused portions promptly in shallow containers.

A clear label helps later

Write the preparation date on each cooled portion. In a shift-work fridge, a dated box is easier to use confidently than a pot whose age has to be reconstructed from which day you happened to be home.

A useful detail

Canned black-eyed peas can be softer than home-cooked ones. Rinse under a gentle stream rather than tumbling them vigorously in a colander.

Another way

  • Use chopped Swiss chard leaves for extra greens, simmering them for the last 4 minutes.
  • Replace smoked paprika with sweet paprika for a different, less smoky base.

Keep it well

Refrigerate within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C, at 40°F/4°C or below for up to 3 days. Reheat to 165°F/74°C before serving or filling a preheated flask. Keep hot packed food at 140°F/60°C or above until eating.