Baby food recipes
Black-eyed peas have thinner skins than chickpeas and larger grains than lentils; when cooked, their centers break down to a floury texture that naturally thickens a baby puree. This recipe uses a quick-soak method, so no overnight planning is needed. It contains no tomato, tomato paste, or lemon: acidity keeps the skins firm, and the puree stays grainy no matter how long it cooks.
Spread the black-eyed peas on a light-colored tray and pick out stones, dirt, and broken peas. Rinse two times in plenty of water and drain. Sort carefully by sight; even one pebble can go unnoticed in a baby puree.
Put the black-eyed peas in a pot with 600 ml water and bring to a boil. Boil for exactly 3 minutes, then turn off the heat and cover the pot. This method replaces an overnight soak. When the time is up, drain all the water and rinse the peas.
Put the drained black-eyed peas in a pot with 900 ml fresh water. Leave the lid slightly ajar and cook over low heat for 33 minutes. Do not add tomato, tomato paste, vinegar, or lemon at this stage; acidity keeps the skins firm and the puree will not be smooth. Mash one pea between your fingers; it is ready when the skin slips off and the inside crumbles like flour.
Peel and cut the carrot into 1 cm cubes, add it to the pot, and cook for 12 more minutes. Do not add it at the beginning; long cooking makes its flavor fade and gives the puree a dull, muddy flavor instead of sweetness.
Strain the cooking liquid into a separate bowl. Put the solids in a fine-mesh strainer and rub them through with the back of a spoon; the skins will remain in the strainer. Thin the puree with the reserved cooking liquid until it drips from a spoon, then stir in the olive oil.
After boiling for 3 minutes, turn off the heat and let the black-eyed peas rest in the covered pot for 1 hour; if you skip this rest, they soften in one and a half hours rather than 35 minutes.
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