4 turkey bacon slices, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground chipotle chili pepper
2 cups cooked short-grain rice
1 (15-ounce) can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
2 cups white cornmeal
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 cups boiling water
4 large scallions, finely chopped
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Preheat oven to 250. Cook turkey bacon in 1 tablespoon hot oil in a large well-greased cast-iron skillet or oven-proof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until browned. Add onion; saute 5 minutes. Add bell pepper and saute 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt and next 4 ingredients until blended. Stir in rice and black-eyed peas; saute 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
Cover skillet loosely with aluminum foil and place in preheated oven to keep warm.
Combine cornmeal, butter, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Gradually add 2 cups boiling water, stirring until mixture resembles thickened grits. (Batter should be soft but not too thin. Add more water if mixture becomes too firm.) Fold in finely chopped scallions.
Drop batter by tablespoonfuls, in batches, into 1/4 cup hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and fry 3 minutes on each side or until golden, adding more oil as needed for each batch. Drain on paper towels; keep warm.
Remove rice mixture from oven and stir in lime juice. Serve with hoe cakes.
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