A few weeks ago, while LeeLee and I were perusing the aisles of our local international grocery store for sushi ingredients, we spent some additional time on the Latin-foods aisle in order to stock the pantry with all sorts of goodies we’d either wanted to try or had already tried and knew we loved. While we were there, we picked up some cans of various beans and vegetable combinations that we’d never enjoyed before, knowing we’d be able to do something with them later.
For the field peas, tonight was the night!
I’m a huge fan of all things Mexican, and lately I’ve had tostadas on the brain. Sometimes, I purchase ready-made tostada shells, but it’s not necessary – I always keep a package of corn tortillas in the freezer, and they come in handy for all sorts of meals, from enchiladas to tofu rancheros to, of course, tostadas. Which is how four of these tortillas were called into service tonight!
To my knowledge, I’d never had field peas (in this case, they were mixed with a handful of sliced green beans) before. To my palate, they tasted like a smaller, zestier version of black-eyed peas – not quite so buttery mild as black-eyed peas can be, and certainly more compact. They also had a bit more of a bite to them, texture-wise, than black-eyed peas. But the taste wasn’t unfamiliar to me, and I was pleased to learn that I liked them quite a lot.
And so I got to cooking. First, I put my rice in the rice cooker and flipped the switch to let it steam for half an hour, and while that was cooking, I heated the field peas and prepared the vegetables to be served tableside. When I had 10 or so minutes left in the rice’s cooking time, I heated four corn tortillas, one after the next, in a nonstick pan (my omelet pan, if you must know), and once each one was golden brown on both sides, I laid them to rest on our dinner plates.
Once the rice was ready, the peas were, too, and I spooned everything atop the waiting tortillas, reserving some rice for a side dish. Served with some Tabasco and (for me) some nutritional yeast, it was a perfectly complete meal that left us filled and happy – and gave us leftovers for tomorrow, too!
FIELD-PEA TOSTADAS WITH RICE
(serves two, plus leftovers)
What you’ll need:
1 cup white rice
2 cups water
1 packet rice seasoning (we used Goya tonight)
1 can field peas
4 corn tortillas
1 tomato, diced
1 avocado, sliced
2 cups of lettuce leaves
1 can sliced olives
1 can sliced jalapeños
1 cup pepperjack cheese (we used Daiya)
Hot sauce, salsa, or both to taste
First, cook your rice according to the package directions, adding your seasoning packet to the pot or rice cooker before you begin.
While the rice cooks, heat the can of field peas in a saucepan, tasting it to ensure the spices are to your liking. If they aren’t, add whatever you have on hand – we’re fond of adobo seasoning, but chipotle powder, garlic powder, pepper, cayenne, or cumin would do nicely.
As the beans and rice cook in their separate pots, warm up four corn tortillas by spraying a nonstick pan with cooking oil and setting the heat to medium-high. Heat each of the tortillas for 1 to 2 minutes on each side until each tortilla is golden-brown, then set on two dinner plates.
When the rice is fully cooked and the peas are heated up, it’s time to get everything plated up! Spoon the peas on top of each of the tortillas (feel free to add some rice to the tortillas as well if you like), then top each tostada with the tomato, avocado, lettuce, olives, jalapeños, cheese, and sauces. Add some rice to the side of the plate to accompany the tostadas, and you’re off to the races!
Enjoy!
:)