2 cups dried Black Eye Peas
1 Medium onion
4 – 6 medium cloves of garlic
1 lbs of regular bacon
4 hot peppers (your choice Jalapeño or Reds work good)
1/2 teaspoon of the following dry herbs
Chilli powder
thyme
oregano
fennel seed
cajun spice (your choice)
ground hot red pepper
2 – 6 teaspoons FRESH GROUND black pepper
Tabasco to taste
Salt to taste
Open the entire package of bacon slice into 1/2 pieces and place in a 3 quart sauce pan, render bacon until crisp, and drain off fat and reserve. Place enough of the bacon fat back in the pan and sauté onion, garlic, peppers and tabasco, sauté until tender, add spices, peas, 3/4 of the black pepper and all remaining ingredients EXCEPT salt. Cover with water bring to a rapid boil for 2 minutes and reduce to simmer UNCOVERED. Check every 15 to 20 minutes to tenderness of peas add water if necessary, when they have gotten to the desired tenderness, add Salt to taste and the remaining black pepper, cook an additional 15 minutes. Serve.
Note:
For people that don’t like heat you can substitute the hot peppers with bell peppers or other ingredients.