01.01.09: Black-eyed peas and greens

Peas for good luck and greens for money – We dine with pleasure and hope for a good year that we know harbours many changes. She adulterated the Pappy's Saucepan recipe from vegan treasure trove Something Delicious This Way Comes by Joshua Ploeg – former punk rocker turned travelling chef – with chorizo. (Sorry. But not really.) Nigel Slater's fennel, pear and watercress salad made a sassy sidekick.

SHE SAYS: The peas were a little too sweet, but a pinch of salt and a shake of Crystal fixed it up right. Plus, I think this kind of bean dish, with such strong flavourings as bourbon, maple syrup, liquid smoke and (in our case) chorizo, needs to set a while to let all those components mingle. Even near the end of the meal mine was more blended – maybe it's like letting wine breathe. Salad gave us the crunch and the sharp angle we needed in the flavour dept.

HE SAYS: Deja vu? As She said, it waz on the shweet side this time but this meal had to be made since its a tradition 'round these parts. This time We had it with the greens mixed in with the peas, and I think it helped out the overall consistency. As said numerous times on this blog, chorizo can't fail to make a good meal better. I really enjoyed the salad which We haven't had in a while, the mix of the fennel and pear satisfied ma soul.

01.01.08: Black-eyed peas and greens

Black-eyed peas for good luck and greens for money: we didn't dare forgo the superstitious New Year's meal. The peas were pepped up with bourbon and maple syrup, adapted from Joshua Ploeg's vegan adventure Something Delicious This Way Comes. The greens got a few quick shakes of liquid smoke before being boiled to pieces with a chopped onion. On the side: fennel, watercress and pear salad from Nigel Slater's Kitchen Diaries.

HE SAYS: Tasty!

SHE SAYS: Greens yummy, avoided smoke overkill. Salad was a nice palate cleanser. Beans were sweeeet.