Recipe: Black-eyed pea salad

Yolele! Recipes From the Heart of Senegal, the recently published debut cookbook from Brooklyn chef and restaurateur Pierre Thiam, is a vibrant and compelling collection and a terrific introduction to a less familiar cuisine.

Thiam's book reads like a tour guide, with recipes for African street food, traditional stews and dishes showcasing Portuguese and Vietnamese influences; and the significant imprint of French colonialism (Senegal was a French colony until 1960).

The food is fascinating and flavourful. Many of the dishes appeared on the menu of his Brooklyn restaurant, Le Grand Dakar.

Spicy kebabs are marinated in a traditional spice rub before being rolled in ground peanuts; Cornish game hens are stuffed with fonio, an ancient grain that was a regional staple.

Thiam's black-eyed pea salad (salatu niebe) is a riot of colours on the plate — peas, tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, spring onions and parsley. The salad is a perfect side dish with grilled kebabs or spooned into a lettuce cup.

Black-eyed pea salad

• 1/2 pound black-eyed peas, soaked in water for 1 hour
• 1 quart water
• 1 tsp salt, divided into two parts
• 1 tomato, peeled, seeded and diced
• 1 cucumber, seeded and diced
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1 habanero pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1/8 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• 2/3 cup olive oil, best-quality
• 8 lettuce leaves, for serving
  

In a medium-sized saucepan, boil the peas in a quart of water until tender or for about 30 minutes. Season with half teaspoon of salt near the end of the cooking time.

Strain and set aside. In a large bowl, mix the tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, green onions, parsley, lime juice, habanero, the remaining half teaspoon of salt and one-eighth teaspoon of pepper — or to taste.

Pour in the oil while whisking the mixture together. Gently fold in the black-eyed peas. Cover and set aside for an hour so the flavours blend well. Serve in lettuce leaves.

Total time: 45 minutes and soaking time for the beans and marinating time for the salad.

Servings: 8

Nutrition per serving: 273 calories; 7g protein; 21g carbohydrates; 7g fibre; 19g fat; 3g saturated fat; 0 cholesterol; 231mg sodium.

— Adapted from Yolele! Recipes From the Heart of Senegal by Pierre Thiam