Saladu Nebbe (Black-Eyed Pea Salad With Tomatoes and Cucumbers)

Saladu Nebbe (Black-Eyed Pea Salad With Tomatoes and Cucumbers)

Black-eyed peas are a common sight in West African cooking, stewed long until tender or turned into fritters like àkàrà. They’re also a staple ingredient in the American South, where they’re commonly eaten on New Year’s Day as a symbol of good luck for the year to come. The chef Isaiah Screetch’s saladu nebbe, based on the Senegalese dish of the same name, highlights the nuttiness of the beans in a fresh salad that has a bit of spice thanks to serrano chiles. Studded with juicy tomatoes, cucumbers and red bell pepper, the recipe calls for letting the salad meld its flavors together in a lime dressing for two hours, but it can also sit overnight, making it the perfect side dish for a barbecue or cookout.

Yield: 8 cups

1 cup finely chopped curly parsley

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil 

¼ cup fresh lime juice (from 2 or 3 limes) 

2 (15-ounce) cans black-eyed peas, rinsed (about 3 cups) 

5 scallions, trimmed and roughly chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1 cup cherry or Roma tomatoes, chopped

1 English cucumber, halved, seeded and finely chopped

1 medium shallot, finely chopped

2 serrano chiles, seeded and minced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large bowl, combine parsley, olive oil and lime juice; whisk until emulsified.

Add the black-eyed peas, scallions, bell pepper, tomatoes, cucumber, shallot and serrano chiles to the bowl. Toss to thoroughly combine and coat in the dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight. Stir the salad to ensure the dressing is evenly incorporated before serving.

TIP: When I prepare this again I will reverse the olive oil and lime juice measurements to 1/4 cup olive oil and 1/2 cup lime juice. Olive oil at 1/2 cup thickly coats everything and pools in the bottom of the bowl and lime juice is nearly imperceptible at the original measures.

You could also start with boiling dried black-eyed peas, since black-eyed peas cook really fast (no soaking required). A good way to control the amount of salt.

Given food restrictions, omitted lime juice and chiles but with a very light EVOO this was great with the other ingredients, a bit of juice from a few tomatoes and diced raw zucchini instead of red peppers (also restricted). For us, no need for s/p. Next time might throw in a second herb and red onion and would then let it sit longer. A great use of b.e.p., home cooked or canned, as a light supper with cornbread, corn or the cob or, to mix things up, grilled pita or a traditional flatbread.

Masala Chickpeas With Tofu and Blistered Tomatoes

Masala Chickpeas With Tofu and Blistered Tomatoes

Like a warm and gentle nudge, masala spice gives onions and chickpeas a distinctively comforting heartiness. Glimmering with droplets of ghee, they become rich in this any-season dish. Tearing the tofu allows for ample crooks and crannies that cradle and accentuate the aromatic goodness of the spice. Cherry tomatoes, slightly and delicately blistered, are welcome as juicy bursts of acidity in every bite. Serve this over rice, or with a gently poached egg, along with a few slices of lime for squeezing.

Yield: 2 to 4 servings

1 (14-ounce) block firm or extra-firm tofu, drained

3 ½ tablespoons ghee or vegetable oil

Salt and black pepper

1 large red onion, finely chopped, some saved for garnish

1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, finely grated

2 garlic cloves, finely grated

1 teaspoon ground tandoori or garam masala (homemade or store-bought)

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed

1 pint cherry tomatoes

¼ cup fresh mint or dill leaves, chopped, plus more leaves for garnish

Lime wedges, for serving

Slice the tofu in half horizontally and place on a clean kitchen or paper towel to dry.

Set a 10-inch skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon ghee. Once the ghee begins to shimmer, season both sides of the tofu with salt and pepper, place in the pan and sear without moving until the tofu is browned, about 4 minutes. Turn the pieces over and brown the other side, 4 to 5 minutes more. Transfer the tofu to a plate.

Add 2 tablespoons ghee to the same skillet and heat over medium until shimmering. Add the onion (saving some for garnish) and cook, stirring often, for 4 minutes, or until translucent. Add the ginger, garlic and masala spice and season generously with salt and pepper. Stir for 1 to 2 minutes, or until fragrant.

Stir in the chickpeas and cook for 3 minutes, or until the chickpeas begin to sizzle.

Turn the heat up to medium-high, add the remaining ½ tablespoon ghee, then add the tomatoes and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook without stirring until the tomatoes are just beginning to pop open and the chickpeas are warmed through, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the mint.

Break the tofu into 1-inch pieces and toss in the skillet to coat with chickpea-tomato mix. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until warmed through. Remove from heat, taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Garnish with remaining chopped raw onions and a few leaves of fresh mint. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing.

TIP: I made this as a sheet pan, tossing chickpeas, onions, pressed tofu pieces and some bell pepper slices with the spice mix, ginger garlic and some oil. Then baked at 450 for 15 minutes . After agitating the contents of the pan and tossing in the tomatoes I put it all back in for another 10 minutes. Finished with lime and dill. It was very easy and delicious.

Under seasoned as written—I ~doubled the masala, ginger, and garlic, plus added chili flakes and turmeric, after which it was much better!

In answer to Maria, who hates cooking tofu, I'm a fan of using my air fryer. We use our air fryer to cook tofu more than anything else. Cube one package of firm tofu after minimally drying it off. Mix 1 T corn starch, 1 T soy sauce, 1 T olive oil, and 1/2 tsp salt in a bowl. Stir in the tofu until everything is coated. Air fry at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. The cubes come out pillowy soft and browned on all six sides. You'll want to eat them straight out of the pan.

Homemade Tandoori Spice Mix: 1 teaspoon Ground Ginger 1 teaspoon Ground Coriander 1 teaspoon Paprika ½ teaspoon Ground Cumin ½ teaspoon Turmeric ½ teaspoon Salt ¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder ¼ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper ¼ teaspoon Ground Nutmeg ¼ teaspoon Ground Cloves

Oven roast it! Preheat to 425. Squeeze as much water out of the tofu as you can, cube it up into 1” pieces, and toss in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, kosher salt, and pepper. (You can also add a bit of corn starch, garlic powder and/or or paprika.) cover a baking sheet in parchment paper, spread tofu evenly across the paper. Cook, checking after about 10 to 15 minutes, and flip the cubes over with a spatula if necessary. Cook for another 5 to 7 minutes until golden brown.

Salmon Tinga With Cherry Tomatoes

Salmon Tinga With Cherry Tomatoes

Tinga comes from the Nahuatl word “tingatl,” meaning something shredded, messy, or all mixed up — basically a delicious stewed guisado of shredded meat (chicken, pork, or beef) cooked with tomatoes, onions, and chipotle chiles. While tinga originated in the Mexican state of Puebla, it's now a beloved classic all over the country, with every region adding its own twist. Salmon works beautifully here because it roasts gently in a hot oven in mere minutes, emerging perfectly flaky and juicy. Meanwhile, the classic tinga sauce comes together on the stove: rich tomato and chipotle, toasted cumin, softened onions and garlic, finished with a splash of apple cider vinegar that wakes everything up. A swirl of crema and a handful of crunchy greens brings it together. Serve the saucy salmon with the greens for a light dinner, or tuck it into warm corn tortillas for a quick fish taco night. Stack it high on a crunchy tostada, or serve it straight as a guisado alongside rice.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

4 (8-ounce) skinless salmon fillets, or 1 (2-pound) skinless salmon fillet, preferably center-cut

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 

Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 dried bay leaves

1 medium red onion, thinly sliced into half moons

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

12 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved

2 canned chipotles, from a can of chipotles in adobo, finely chopped

1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes 

1¼ cups vegetable broth or water

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

½ teaspoon sugar

2 large limes, zested and juiced (about ¼ cup juice)

6 ounces tender crunchy greens, such as Little Gems, endive or romaine hearts (about 6 cups), torn

½ cup crema Mexicana, or sour cream thinned out with water 

½ cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro or parsley (leaves and tender stems)

12 corn tortillas or tostadas, or rice pilaf, for serving (optional)

Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a large baking dish, coat salmon fillets with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Roast the salmon until it is just opaque throughout and cooked to medium, depending on the thickness, 10 to 12 minutes for individual fillets (or 16 to 20 minutes for one large piece).

While the salmon roasts, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large stainless steel skillet with high sides (or a large enameled Dutch oven) over medium-low heat. Add cumin and toast, stirring constantly, until fragrant and starting to darken, 1 to 2 minutes. Add bay leaves, half of the onions (reserve half for serving) and garlic, season with salt, and cook, stirring often, until the onions soften, 5 minutes. Add cherry tomatoes and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the tomatoes soften, 5 minutes. 

Stir in chipotles, crushed tomatoes, broth, vinegar and sugar, then season with salt. Bring to a simmer, then adjust the heat to low for a gentle simmer. Cover partially with a lid, and cook, stirring occasionally (scraping the sides to prevent scorching), until the sauce is slightly reduced, 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and add more salt, pepper, or chipotles in adobo if you prefer it spicier. Turn off the heat and discard bay leaves.

Toss the reserved onions with lime zest and juice in a medium bowl, and season with salt and pepper.

Transfer salmon to a large serving platter and spoon tinga sauce over the fillet, or serve straight from the baking dish. Top with greens, drizzle with crema or sour cream, top with the citrusy onions and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve with tortillas, tostadas or rice pilaf, if you’d like.

TIP: Agree with the suggestion to skip the lettuce. I used 3-4 tsp of chipotle sauce bc I couldn’t find the chipotles, and I also poured a lot of the excess lime juice from the lime onions into the sauce at the final salt and pepper stage to add a little more zip. Served with a basic box of rice pilaf and tortillas — both good, but particularly liked the rice with the sauce. The whole family loved it!

The sauce and citrus onions were great, but the lettuce didn’t quite make sense in context. We used sockeye—a milder option like coho or steelhead would be a better fit. Still cleaned our plates!