As any southerner will tell you, eating black-eyed peas at New Year's will ensure good luck. For a simpler (and meatless) version of this hors d'oeuvre, omit the pork and serve these tender little cakes topped with just the red pepper mayo.
• Cakes may be cooked 1 day ahead, then chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before reheating.
• Red pepper mayo may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
Recipe information
Total Time
4 hr
Yield
Makes about 60 hors d'oeuvres
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Mash half of peas in a bowl with a fork and stir in remaining peas.
Step 2
Cook red peppers in butter in a large nonstick skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until barely softened. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute more. Transfer one third of pepper mixture to a bowl and cool. Set aside for red pepper mayo.
Step 3
Stir remaining pepper mixture into peas with bread crumbs, cilantro, eggs, cumin, and salt. Scoop 1 tablespoon mixture into palm of your hand (mixture will be soft and moist) and form into a roughly 1-inch-wide patty. Put it on a tray and form more patties in same manner, arranging in 1 layer on tray. Dip patties, 1 at a time, into cornmeal, turning gently to coat, and transfer as coated to a tray lined with wax paper and dusted with cornmeal. Chill patties, covered, at least 2 hours and up to 8.
Step 4
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Step 5
Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook cakes, 12 at a time, until golden, about 3 minutes on each side. Put cakes as cooked in 1 layer in a large shallow baking pan. Between batches, carefully wipe skillet clean with paper towels and add more oil.
Step 6
Stir mayonnaise into reserved red pepper mixture and season with salt and pepper. Reheat cakes in middle of oven until hot, about 5 minutes, and top with red pepper mayo and jerk pork.
