This Black-Eyed Pea Salad with Smoked Mackerel is vibrant, smoky, zesty, with herby flavors and fresh crisp textures. A healthy, protein-packed salad that's a complete meal on its own.
This legume salad is light yet filling, refreshing yet rich. It's ideal for lunch, dinner, or any time you want a wholesome one-dish meal that's packed with flavor and nutrition!
Table Of Contents
Pairing legumes with salty, brined, or smoked seafood is a favourite Greek thing to do! Whether we serve a hot bowl of Fasolatha or Lentil Soup, there's often some salt-brined or smoked fish on the side (such as sardines, mackerel, or smoked trout).
Smoked Mackerel in Greece is often called Tsiros. And many times it's served on its own as a Meze dish, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon, and it's called Tsirosalata (smoked mackerel salad).
Ingredients
In this recipe, Tsiros (Smoked Mackerel) is paired with black-eyed peas, tomato, cucumber, spring onions, herbs like dried oregano and fresh dill, extra virgin olive oil, and fresh lemon juice.
Yielding a Black-eyed pea salad that's fresh and full of Mediterranean flavors.
Other Ways To Make It
Instead of making a black-eyed pea salad with smoked mackerel, you can make it with chickpeas or white beans. Both of these legumes are great substitutes for this recipe.
Also, instead of smoked mackerel, you can use smoked trout or smoked herring. Salt-brined anchovies also work well here.
Dried Or Cooked Black-Eyed Peas?
You can use either! I prefer dried legumes over canned. And black-eyed peas don't require any soaking. And they cook quickly in less than an hour unless they're very old. Always check the package expiration date; it should display a long shelf life.
How To Cook Black Eyed Peas For Salad
To cook black eyed peas for a salad, first rinse them to remove any dirt or pesticides.
Next, add them to a cooking pot with plenty of water. Bring to a boil. Then boil for 2 minutes and drain. This is done to thoroughly clean them from remaining pesticides and also to remove some of the dark color they release.
When you drain the beans, don't rinse with cold water. Because the sudden shift in temperature will make their skin come off. Simply add them back to the cooking pot.
Pour in plenty of hot boiling water (not cold for the same reason mentioned above) and season with sea salt. Simmer over low heat, covered, for 45 minutes or up to 1 hour.
Once cooked, drain in a strainer and let them cool down to room temperature.
Storing
Store this Mediterranean Black-Eyed Pea Salad in an airtight food container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Recipe
Black Eyed Pea Salad with Smoked Mackerel
Ingredients
- 250 grams (8.8 ounces) dried black-eyed peas
- 100 grams (3.5 ounces) smoked mackerel fillets
- 200 grams (1 medium) cucumber peeled and diced
- 200 grams (1 large) tomato finely chopped/ diced
- 2 medium spring onions minced
- 1½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill minced
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Cook the Black-eyed Peas. Rinse with cold water, then add to a cooking pot with plenty of water and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, then drain. Add to the cooking pot again with plenty of hot water and some sea salt, and bring to a simmer. Simmer covered over low heat until tender but not mushy.
- Drain and cool the peas. Drain peas in a strainer and allow to cool down to room temperature. Don't rinse with cold water as this will make their skin peel off.
- Make the salad. Add the cooled black eyed peas to a large salad bowl and combine with the remaining ingredients. Shred the smoked mackerel fillets into pieces and mix them in the salad.
- Marinate in the fridge for about 1 hour.
- Serve with some crusty bread and enjoy!
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