SUMMER BLACK-EYED-PEA SALAD

Summer Black-Eyed-Pea Salad image

In this colorful salad, okra, vine-ripened tomatoes, fresh black-eyed peas, and corn are braised and served at room temperature with an oregano vinaigrette.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Number Of Ingredients 9

Ingredients

1 teaspoon salt, plus more for sauce and seasoning
4 vine-ripened tomatoes
4 ears fresh corn, husks removed
4 cups Traditional Black-Eyed Peas, with cooking liquid
8 sprigs fresh oregano or marjoram
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more for seasoning
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound fresh okra, ends trimmed
1/4 cup red-wine or sherry vinegar

Steps:

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Using a paring knife, score the nonstem ends of the tomatoes; place 2 tomatoes at a time in boiling water. Leave just until skins begin to pull away, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Reserving liquid, use a slotted spoon to transfer tomatoes to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. When cool enough to handle, gently peel off skin with your fingers. Set tomatoes aside.
Place the corn in the same boiling water, and cook until just tender, about 3 minutes. When cool enough to handle, stand one ear of corn on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut down the length of the ear, removing the corn kernels. Repeat with remaining ears of corn. Set corn kernels aside.
Discard water in pot, and refill to 3/4-inch level with the black-eyed-pea cooking liquid or water. Add 5 sprigs oregano to the liquid along with 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Arrange tomatoes and okra in the water; cover, and bring to just below the boiling point over medium-high heat. Keep covered; reduce heat so liquid just simmers. Cook until okra is just tender, 4 to 8 minutes; gently stir after 2 minutes so all of the okra is wet with the liquid. Do not overcook the okra. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the okra and tomatoes to a large serving platter. Discard liquid.
In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, and the remaining 5 tablespoons olive oil. Finely chop remaining oregano, and whisk it into vinegar mixture. Arrange the corn and peas on the platter. Drizzle with the vinaigrette. Let sit at room temperature about 20 minutes; serve.