Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp (30 ml) Extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large (150g) Yellow onion, diced
  • 1 large (120g) Green bell pepper, diced
  • 2 stalks (100g) Celery, diced
  • 4 cloves (20g) Garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp (15g) Tomato paste
  • 3 cups (525g) Cooked black-eyed peas
  • 1 cup (185g) Long-grain white rice, unrinsed
  • 5 cups (1.2L) Low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 tsp (5ml) Liquid smoke
  • 1 can (400g) Diced fire-roasted tomatoes
  • 1 ½ tsp (4g) Smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp (1g) Dried thyme
  • ½ tsp (1g) Cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp (6g) Sea salt
  • ½ tsp (1g) Black pepper, freshly cracked
  • 1 tbsp (15ml) Apple cider vinegar

Instructions:

  1. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery. Sauté for 6–8 minutes until golden and translucent.
  2. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste, cooking for another 2 minutes until the paste smells nutty and turns a deep brick red.
  3. Stir in the smoked paprika, thyme, cayenne, and black pepper. Pour in the vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, and liquid smoke. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
  4. Add the black-eyed peas and the dry rice to the pot. Increase heat slightly to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 18–22 minutes until the rice is tender and the liquid has thickened.
  5. Turn off the heat. Stir in the sea salt and apple cider vinegar. Let the stew sit covered for 5 minutes before serving to allow the rice to finish plumping.