Food Friday: Black-eyed Pea and Tomato Salad

It's time for Food Friday and over at the Grocery Cart Challenge the recipe swap theme is Potlucks. I have taken this dish to several vegetarian potlucks b/c I was tired of everyone bringing potato or pasta salad. Every time I have served this, it has all been eaten...even if I double the recipe. I have taken this from the Mediterranean Light Cookbook by Martha Rose Shulman. She also has a great recipe in there for Fennel with potatoes which is so simple and delicious. I'll be posting that soon.

Black-eyed Pea & Tomato Salad
The salad:
1 cup dried black-eyed peas, washed and picked over
1/2 small onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced or put through a press
1 qt water
1 bay leaf
salt to taste
2 large ripe tomatoes, diced
1 to 2 green chili peppers (to taste), seeded and minced

The dressing:
5 TBS fresh lemon juice
1/2 to 1/4 tsp ground cumin (to taste)
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
salt and freshly ground pepper

4 heaped TBS chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
handful fresh spinach, chopped (optional)
lettuce leaves for the bowl

Prepare the salad:
Combine the black-eyed peas, onion, garlic, water, and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 30 to 35 minutes until the beans are cooked through but not mushy. Add salt to taste halfway through the cooking. Drain and discard the bay leaf. Toss the beans with the tomatoes and chili peppers.

Prepare the dressing:
Mix together the lemon juice, cumin, garlic, yogurt, and s&p to taste

Toss the salad with the dressing and refrigerate for several hours.
Just before serving, toss the parsley or cilantro and the spinach if desired. Adjust seasonings. Line a bowl or platter with lettuce leaves, top with salad, and serve. The salad will hold for 2 or 3 days w/o the fresh herbs and spinach, which should be added just before serving.

**I normally make this the night before and then toss in the fresh herbs before walking out the door**