Prosciutto and Black Eyed Peas - In a crock pot

      I am told that, in the south they celebrate New Years with beans in a dish called Hoppin' John.  Since I am not from the south, but of a Pennsylvania Dutch background, I have sauerkraut and spaetzles with pork- the real spaetzles, not those teeny things I see so often.  But that's a story for another blog.  

      This recipe is my Northern, Pennsylvania Dutch adaptation of the southern bean dish.  In other words, as with most adaptations, they carry no resemblance to the original.

  I enjoyed them and I hope you do too.     


3 cups dry beans, soaked overnight (I used black-eyed peas)
2 cups water

Kale, fresh from the garden on a winter day

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1 lb prosciutto
2 tablespoons of olive oil
3 1/2 cups chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, minced
12 oz of tomato paste
1 cup chopped, trimmed kale
2 cups of cooked rice (optional)

     Bring the beans to a boil, cover and take off heat.  Set aside.

     Combine water, mustard, salt and thyme.  Whisk until thoroughly mixed.  Set that aside too.

     Chop the prosciutto roughly and put into a food processor to turn it into the rough texture of ground meat.  It won't be quite that fine, but that's okay, it's a "rustic" dish.  That means it can look like anything and it doesn't matter.  Even mistakes are a work of art in a "rustic" dish.  Set that aside too.

Okay, finally time to cook:
     

     


Heat oil in a large pot and add onion to the hot oil.  Saute 6 minutes or until just turning brown.  

Before cooking the prosciutto

After cooking the prosciutto

     Add the prosciutto and garlic and saute until the prosciutto starts to get brown and crispy. 

      Don't rush this step.  Bring it to that stage with medium to medium-high heat.  You don't want to burn your onions.


    

       Stir in the water mixture and bring up to a boil.  

Cover the beans completely

      Add the beans to the crock pot then pour all the contents of your cooking pot into a crock pot to cover the beans.  Add more water if necessary to make sure the beans are covered. 

     Cook until beans are tender - about 4 hours on high or 7 or more on low, but check them.  The age of the beans will change the time they need to cook, drastically.  Fresh beans may be done hours earlier and older ones may take longer.



     When beans are tender, add the tomato paste and kale and cook until kale is wilted -  Another hour or so.


     Serve with rice mixed in, if you like, or eat as it is.