Black-Eyed Pea Cakes with Kale Salad and Mushroom Vinaigrette

By LRay

Black-eyed peas are mixed with a variety of spices to make these lovely little cakes that are fried and served over a fresh kale salad with a slightly sweet dressing.

Ingredients

• BLACK-EYED PEA CAKES
• 2 cups milk
• 2 eggs
• 4 tablespoons garlic, minced
• 4 tablespoons shallots, minced
• Canola oil, as needed
• 6 cups black-eyed peas, cooked
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 lemons, zested and juiced
• 1 teaspoon cumin seed, toasted then ground
• 1 teaspoon coriander seed, toasted then ground
• 1/4 cup scallions, sliced thinly
• 2 cups panko bread crumbs, divided
• Flour as needed
• KALE SALAD
• 2 cups mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup tomatoes, chopped
• 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 cup olive oil, plus more for sautéing
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 pound kale, washed and torn
• 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, shaved

Preparation

Step 1

Make an egg wash by whisking milk and eggs together until combined. Set aside.

Sauté garlic and shallots over medium heat in canola oil until soft.

In a food processor, pulse half of the black-eyed peas until roughly chopped and place in a large mixing bowl.

Purée remaining peas with ½ cup olive oil and add to bowl. Mix in lemon juice, zest, cumin, coriander, scallion, half of the shallot and garlic mixture, and ½ cup bread crumbs.

Portion out into 2-ounce balls and form into cakes. Dredge cakes in flour, then egg wash, and then remaining bread crumbs. Keep cold.

For salad, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add a little oil. Sauté mushrooms until browned, then add tomatoes, sherry vinegar, brown sugar, and remaining shallot/garlic mixture and cook for about 10 minutes. Pour into a mixing bowl and whisk in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss kale with dressing, reseason with salt and pepper, and set aside while you cook the cakes.

Heat canola oil in a deep skillet and fry pea cakes at 350°F until brown and hot. Serve over dressed kale salad and top with shaved Parmesan.