Longevity Black-eyed Pea Stew from Icaria

Serves 3-4

1/2 pound black-eyed peas (not from can), rinsed well

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 large red onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 large, firm, ripe tomato, finely chopped

2 teaspoons tomato paste, diluted in 1/4 cup water

2 bay leaves

Salt to taste

1 bunch wild fennel or 1 fennel bulb, finely chopped with 1 bunch dill, finely chopped

Background:

This stew from Icaria, Greece, was served to guests Thursday at the Americas Best Value Inn to encourage adding Mediterranean foods to their diets. The meal was provided by the AARP/Blue Zones Vitality Project.

Blue Zones founder Dan Buettner said he had asked a Greek woman how to get hotdish eaters in Minnesota to try Mediterranean food. She replied, “Feed them.” Try it at home.

Instructions:

Heat half the olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat and cook the onion and garlic, stirring until soft, about 12 minutes. Add the black-eyed peas and toss to coat in the oil.

Add the beans, tomato, tomato paste and enough water to cover the beans by about an inch. Add the bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the black-eyed peas are about half-cooked. Season with salt. Add the wild fennel. (Note: If wild fennel is unavailable, cook the chopped fennel bulb with the onion and garlic and add the dill in place of the wild fennel.) Continue cooking until the black-eyed peas are tender. Remove, pour in remaining raw olive oil and serve.