Crowder Peas

Crowder Peas

What are crowder peas? They are field peas just like
black eyed peas, lady peas, and Southern peas, etc.

Even though they are called peas they are actually a bean.
They are beans grown in a field which need to be shelled to eat.

7M Family Farms fb page had some so we got two packages.

I started out sautéing an onion and peppers I had grown.
I added parsley and black pepper.
I read putting salt in the beginning can make peas tough
so I omitted the salt for later.

I had hope to get speckled butter beans but 7M was out
hence the medium heat andouille smoked sausage I usually use for those.
I also chopped all the small tomatoes I had on hand from the garden
and added them to the mix of onion and peppers.

Then I added about 4 cups of water and let the mixture cook 
for about 1.5 hours till the peas were tender and the flavors melded.
Sorry no picture of the peas in a soup bowl but it was delicious.
At the end of cooking crowder peas create a very dark pot liquor.
The medium andouille sausage is a bit warm, nothing milk won't quell.
A small bowl of these peas is very filling and I suspect
a person could last a whole day with just one small helping.
Enjoy !