Image by JCarrot

When I have people over for Shabbat dinner during the winter I always make some kind of kugel as a side dish. But in the summer, nobody wants a warm kugel, so I have to come up with a nice rotation of cold salads that don’t bore me to death.

This one I got from my ex’s mom. She didn’t like that I was dating her son, but she really didn’t like that I had never cooked with black eyed peas, so she taught me this recipe, and it pleases guests long after I split with her little boy.

Black Eyed Pea Salad

2 cups dried black eyes peas

¾ diced red onion

3 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced

1 medium red pepper, diced

5 scallions, thinly sliced

½ cup minced fresh parsley

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

1/3 cup olive oil

1 Tablespoon tamari or soy sauce

¾ teaspoon salt

Soak the black eyed peas in 6 cups of water for 6 to 8 hours or over-night.

Drain the beans, put them in a pot with 6 cups of fresh water and bring them to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 20-25 minutes, just until tender.

Drain the beans and transfer them to a medium size bowl. (Or if you don’t want to deal with cooking the beans yourself, buy two cans of pre-soaked beans and drain them).

Stir in the red onion and garlic. When the peas are cool, stir in the red pepper, scallions and parsley. Whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, tamari and salt. Stir the dressing into the salad and serve immediately.

Serves 6-8. Keeps in the fridge for days.

"Why I became the Forward’s Editor-in-Chief"

You are surely a friend of the Forward if you’re reading this. And so it’s with excitement and awe — of all that the Forward is, was, and will be — that I introduce myself to you as the Forward’s newest editor-in-chief.

And what a time to step into the leadership of this storied Jewish institution! For 129 years, the Forward has shaped and told the American Jewish story. I’m stepping in at an intense time for Jews the world over. We urgently need the Forward’s courageous, unflinching journalism — not only as a source of reliable information, but to provide inspiration, healing and hope.

That’s where you come in. Gifts of any size keep the Forward free and accessible to everyone and ensure we have the resources we need to power the Forward at this critical time for American Jews.

Don't just read the Forward - invest in it. That’s only possible thanks to the support of readers like you. Will you support our work today?

Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$120 $180 $360 OTHER AMOUNT