Tomat's Black-Eyed Peas With Maitake Mushrooms
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Tomat, the Westchester neighborhood restaurant co-owned by Harry Posner and Natalie Dial, highlights the couple’s deep dive into local produce, some of which they grow themselves. Recently on the menu was this seasonal dish of spiced black-eyed peas with seared maitake mushrooms and yogurt. Posner, Tomat’s chef, uses dried beans from Rancho Gordo. If your black-eyed peas haven’t been freshly dried, you can soak them for a few hours, suggests Posner.
The restaurant uses its own house-made dried black lemons and limes, but you can find the Middle Eastern staple in Iranian and Armenian markets (such as Super King).
Watch Harry Posner make black-eyed peas with maitake mushrooms.
Cook the black-eyed peas: Strain the beans, discarding the soaking water, and put them in a large pot. Add enough water so that it covers the beans; the water should be 2 inches above the bean line.
Bring the beans to a boil. Cook them at a hard boil for 15 minutes.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and bring to a simmer. Add the bouquet garni, black lime, onion, turmeric, pepper and fenugreek. Continue to cook at a simmer until the beans are tender, about 1 to 2 hours, depending on the age of your beans.
Meanwhile, cook the maitake mushrooms: Add the maitake mushrooms, tamari, rice vinegar, garlic, thyme, sugar and salt to a small pot. Add water to barely cover the mushrooms. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
Strain the mushrooms, discarding the liquid. Cut the bunch of mushrooms in half. Set aside.
Make the herb oil: Put the cilantro, parsley, garlic, fenugreek and oil in a blender. Pulse the mixture for a few minutes so that the herbs and garlic infuse the oil. Then strain through a cheesecloth or coffee filter, reserving the oil. Discard the solids. Set aside.
Fry the shallots: Put the sliced shallots in a pan and barely cover with the oil. Heat the shallots over medium heat and cook until well browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Use a spider to transfer the fried shallots to a paper towel-lined plate.
To prepare the black-eyed pea dish: When the beans are cooked, add salt to taste. Remove from the heat. Strain the beans, reserving the cooking liquid.
Transfer 1/2 cup of the cooked beans to a blender. Add a little of the reserved cooking liquid (just enough to cover the beans) and blend to a chunky puree. Set aside.
Sear the mushrooms for assembly: Heat 1 to 2 tablespoons oil in a pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, place the mushrooms cut-side down in the pan and sear until golden brown (just on the one side), 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the pan. Sprinkle with salt to taste and set aside.
Return the black-eyed peas to a pot. Add the black-eyed pea puree and a couple of tablespoons of the herb oil (or to taste).
Ladle the black-eyed peas into bowls and garnish each bowl with a dollop of yogurt. Using a Microplane, grate black lime zest over the top. Add some of the sautéed mushrooms and fried shallots to each bowl and sprinkle with chopped parsley and mint, if desired. Serve immediately.
