During my last year, I lived in a super cute apartment on a street in Mid-City New Orleans.
The neighbors on my block were so friendly, and we had many impromptu cookouts on the weekends as well. A neighbor of mine, who was Trinidadian, was famous for her jerk peas; we couldn’t get enough of them, and they quickly became a legend within the group because they were so good.
Whenever we saw them cooked, we would hover around the pot until they were ready to eat, and then they would be gone like magic.
In spite of his refusal to provide me with the recipe for the jerk peas, I know that they were swimming in a broth made from full fat coconut milk and a generous amount of jerk seasoning.
I don’t blame him at all, just say that. The Coconut Jerk Peas are about the closest I can come to recreating these famous peas, but I will probably never be able to recreate them.
Remember to save the recipe below, Apronese hopes that this will be an interesting dish for your family.
Make Sure Your Jerk Peas Are Seasoned to Your Liking
However, one thing that you should keep in mind is that jerk seasoning is a very personal choice, so it’s best to add the seasoning, if you feel it’s necessary, at the end when you’ve seasoned the whole pot to your taste buds.
If you feel it’s necessary, you can even add additional seasoning at the end when you’ve seasoned the whole pot to taste.
The Best Places to Find Jerk Seasoning
There is also a photo of the brand I used, which I purchased at Whole Foods. Sometimes you can also find it in bulk at Whole Foods.
It is one of those spices blends I find simpler and more logical to buy pre-mixed than preparing myself, since it contains many ingredients and some ingredients that I do not keep on hand.
A quick Google search will give you plenty of recipes that you can make if you wish to make your own spice blend.
Despite the fact that these peas are innocent-looking at first glance, they are insanely simple to make.
You can make them during the slow afternoon on Sunday afternoon while you do other chores or relax, and you’ll have lunch ready for the remainder of the week.
Pineapple Salsa with Coconut Jerk Peas
There is nothing better than a rich and spicy Coconut Jerk Pea which is very easy to prepare and pairs brilliantly with a sweet and vibrant pineapple salsa to create a harmonious dinner.
Prep Time: 10 mins/ Cook Time: 20 mins/ Total Time: 30 mins
Servings: 4
Ingredients
Coconut Jerk Peas
- 1 lb frozen black eyed peas or purple hull peas ($1.99)
- 1 cup water ($0.00)
- 1-2 Tbsp jerk seasoning ($0.60)
- 1 14oz. can coconut milk ($2.19)
- 1/4 tsp salt, or to taste ($0.02)
- 4 cups cooked rice ($0.75)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil ($0.13)
- 1 yellow onion ($0.32)
- 2 cloves garlic ($0.16)
Pineapple Salsa
- 2 cups chopped pineapple ($0.67)
- 1/4 red onion ($0.17)
- 1 lime ($0.34)
- 1/4 bunch fresh cilantro ($0.21)
- 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste ($0.05)
Garnish
- 2-3 green onions, sliced ($0.20)
Instructions
- You will need to mince the onion and mince the garlic first. Place them in a medium saucepan, add the olive oil and the olive oil to the pot, and sauté them on medium heat for 2-3 minutes, or until the onions are soft and transparent.
- Place the peas, water, and jerk seasoning in a pot, along with the water. Mix well and place a lid on the pot. Allow the pot to boil at a medium heat. Turn the heat to medium-high, and let the peas simmer for a few minutes, until the peas become very tender. Once you reach a boil, you need to turn down the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for about a quarter of an hour.
- Make the pineapple salsa while the peas are simmering. It is important to slice the pineapple very small. It is also very important to finely dice the red onion and pull the cilantro leaves from their stems. Prepare the pineapple salsa by stirring together the pineapple, onion, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and lemon juice. Taste it, and then adjust the lime or salt to taste. Then set aside the salsa.
- During this process, the peas need to be very tender, so you can turn the heat down and add the coconut milk. Stir and heat the coconut milk until it dissolves. You may need to smash some peas against the side of the pot to help thicken the mixture. If the peas do not taste well and you need to add more jerk seasoning and salt, do so until they taste well. If you pour the peas over plain rice, it seems like the seasoning will be diluted once the peas are heavily seasoned.
- You can prepare this dish by adding a cup of cooked rice to a bowl along with about 1 cup of coconut broth and about 1 cup of jerk peas. You should top this dish with 1/2 cup of pineapple salsa, and with sliced green onions on top.
Note
*It is important to remember that every brand of jerk seasoning has a bit of a different taste, so start slowly and add more after cooking, if needed.
**It is recommended to use fresh pineapple or to drain a 20 oz. can of pineapple tidbits packed in its juice well before using it.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 Serving ・ Calories: 486.78 kcal ・ Carbohydrates: 92.53 g ・ Protein: 15.38 g ・ Fat: 7.03 g ・ Sodium: 1431.18 mg ・ Fiber: 10.73 g
The nutritional values shown here are only estimates. Please see our full nutrition disclaimer .
Coconut Jerk Peas: How to Make Them – Step by Step Photos
The first thing I want to share with you is the brand of jerk seasoning I used. It is important to remember that all brands of jerk seasoning vary, so you will have to choose the one that suits your tastes.
You can also check whole foods, cost plus world market, or perhaps the fresh market if your area does not have an international market that carries it.
You could also use white hull peas in place of these, but it is better if you use frozen peas.
The dried peas are definitely better than canned ones, but if you have to use canned peas, make sure to drain them well before adding them to the recipe.
In a medium skillet, add 1 tbsp olive oil along with 2 cloves of minced garlic and sauté over medium heat until the onions are translucent and softened. In order to make the soup, dice 1 onion and mince 2 cloves of garlic.
You can mix in 1 lb. frozen peas (don’t worry about them thawing) and 1 cup of water along with 1 Tbsp jerk seasoning. It doesn’t matter whether the water covers the peas fully or not, that’s okay.
Stir the water well and put a lid on the pot, and turn on the heat to medium.
The pot should come to a boil, then you should turn the heat to medium low and let it simmer for about 15 minutes before it cools.
Prepare the pineapple salsa while the peas are simmering in the pot by finely chopping two cups of pineapple pieces, finely diced one red onion, and roughly chop four bunches of cilantro.
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and add the juice of half a lime (about 1 Tbsp) and half cup of salt.
Add the lime and salt to the mixture and stir well, then taste it for the amount of lime or salt that is necessary.
I would like to add some 14 oz. cans of full-fat coconut milk to the peas once they have simmered for a while and they are tender (test a couple of peas to make sure).
Once everything has been combined, heat the liquid until thickened, and then add some additional jerk seasoning and salt to taste. Stir the peas once more to ensure that the liquid thickens.
Taste the peas and add more salt if necessary to taste them.
As you will soon discover when you pour the peas over plain rice, you will not be able to feel the seasoning as strong, so you need them heavily seasoned.
The recipe serves 4. To serve, place a cup of cooked rice in a bowl, with about 1/2 cup of coconut broth and the peas on top. Finally, garnish with about 1/2 cup of pineapple salsa and a few sliced green onions, if you wish.
I never get bored of “beans” and rice. Because these are all easy-to-eat foods, good for the body if eaten properly.
Apronese is also a fan of this dish, it helps the body to be full and feel lighter. A delicious dish that only takes a few minutes to cook, will you try it?
Don’t forget that all your sharing about this dish is very helpful for everyone, remember to leave a comment
