Caramonie Field Peas

 

In this post I will tell you why I love field peas in particular the Caramonie variety. I will share the story of how we were introduced to this amazing plant, how they grow, and how to cook them. You can purchase seeds to grow your own from us at the Artisan Alley Farmers Market in downtown Deland. 

GOOD FOR THE SOUL AND SOIL

Gardeners and farmers alike love how easily field peas grow and how good they are for building soil. Field peas have spreading vines that cover the earth quickly shading out weeds and strong roots which gather and store nitrogen. When the plants  die, their stems and leaves decompose providing copious amounts of organic matter. Small root nodules in which the plants store nitrogen eventually break down recycling this important plant nutrient back into the soil for the next crop grown. When it comes to eating, however, the field pea is seems elusive.

Some field peas taste good enough to eat and others do not. Years back we grew the well know Iron and Clay variety as a green manuring cover crop. It was easy enough to collect and save their dried peas for seed but they had no goodness for eating. Then one evening at the farmers market, our friend Rachael Paltrow gifted us the Caramonie peas! I didn't realize they were field peas at that time as Rachael had received the seeds from her mother in South Africa and didn't know that much about them other than they were edible. They had pinky-beige pods that curled after hulling the peas. I remember liking the dried pods too and wondering about using them for packing in my Christmas boxes. 

The following spring I seeded out our first row, simply eager to see how they grew. They  flourished and as our leafy green crops succumbed to the brutal Florida summer, the Caramonie grew and grew! Indeed they grew so ferociously, we used rakes and clippers to remove the vines which were heaped into giant compost piles.  We hand harvested the peas so we could continue to grow them. We had learned how to grow them but had no experience cooking with them. 

 What was the best way to bring out their goodness? We asked our friend Rachael's mom. She suggested making fritters but didn't share a recipe.  My personal cookbook collection had nothing using "field peas". Feeling like I needed a starting point, I used them in a recipe meant for blackeyed peas. That was pretty tastey. I extended my search to southern seed catalogs and the internet. It still took some digging and finally I found some relevant results on Utube and finally the little Caramonie now has a place on my table and my garden. Wouldn't you like to give it a try?  In the recipe below, it is cooked with rice, coconut milk and colored peppers. It's a delicious combination. I know you'll want to give it a try? The credit for the recipe itself goes to Auntie Phylis on Utube! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNZpH8WrXh4 

Field peas and Rice Jamaican Style inspired by Auntie Phyllis on utube

This recipe really works well with the Caramonie field peas we grow at Pauline's Lucky Market Garden. The peas are dried and there's no need to soak them. They will have an al dente texture that  really compliments the soft  rice and veggies. It's  satisfying yet not super filling, a fine side dish to accompany grilled or fried fish, shellfish, chicken and tofu.  VEGAN Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup dried Pauline's Lucky  Market Garden Caramonie field peas

4 cups water 

1 tsp salt

1 onion sliced 

1 Tomato diced

1/2 large red or yellow bell pepper sliced

1 tsp fresh minced garlic 

1 cup white rice

2 cups coconut milk 

METHOD:

Using a medium sized pot, boil water and add salt. Stir in the dried field peas. Adjust heat to medium. Cover and cook peas for about 30-40 minutes until they soften enough to be smashed with a spoon (tender not mushy).

Stir in garlic, tomatoes, peppers and onions. Add rice and coconut milk. Stir briefly, then cover and cook on low simmer until all the liquid is absorbed 20-30 minutes. It's ok to lift the lid and check in case it's cooking too quickly. Fluff and serve. Tastes just as good the next day!

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