Of Air conditioners and Field Peas

It’s been swelteringly hot in Houston. Temperatures in the 90’s with humidity that makes it feel like the 100’s. Most of us are avoiding any outside chores during the hottest parts of the day. That means you’ll see a lot of folk up at 6 am to mow the lawn. No socializing outdoors until way late in the evening.

Most of the time, we’re all hiding where ever we can find air conditioning.

I can’t imagine living here without A/C. And apparently, back in the day (circa 1830’s), citizens of the Republic of Texas had a difficult time dealing with the lack of it too. Houston was once the capital of Texas. But Sam Houston, the first governor, and the other officials didn’t care for the hot, swampy climate. The uncontrolled malarious mosquitoes and floods didn’t help much either. The capital was relocated to the drier, slightly milder climate of Austin.

Electric air conditioning didn’t show up in public buildings and businesses until the early 1900’s. Only in the 1950’s and on, did Houston and much of the South get affordable access to air conditioning in private homes. The result? It spurred huge economic and population growth. And it is a heck of a lot more livable in the summer.

So what does this have to do with field peas? Not much, really. Except to say, that when the season is this hot, it’s around time for these beans to be harvested. Nice trade off. “Field pea” refers to many varieties of beans that grow in the South (black beans, cowpeas, and more.) Their history is a whole discussion in itself (maybe for another post?).

If you see these at the farmer’s market, grab a bag. They’re easy to cook and, since they’re fresh, they require no overnight soaking. I used purple hulls in this recipe, but any variety works well.

Field Peas with Bacon and Onions

2 1/2 c. of fresh field peas, shelled and washed

1/3 c. chopped yellow onion

1 to 2 slices of thick bacon

Slice bacon into bite sized or 1/2" long pieces. In a large pan, lightly cook bacon under medium to low heat until it releases some fat and juices. Remove the bacon from the pot and keep the liquid.

Add the onions to the pot and saute for a few minutes until softened (I like to lightly caramelize them too).

Add the fresh peas and bacon to the pot. Add enough water to cover the peas. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for around 35 to 45 minutes, checking the peas near the end for doneness (should be tender and mash easily). For the last 10 minutes or so of cooking you can remove the cover and let the liquid reduce a little. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm with cornbread.

Serves about 2 or 3.