Soul Food · Authentic-ish Soul Food
Field Peas and Snaps
268 kcal a serving, against 312 for the traditional version. That is 44 kcal off, or 14%, with 18.5g of protein. Serves 6. 1 hour 15 minutes.
What the traditional version is
Field peas (fresh if you can get them, otherwise dried black-eyed beans) and green beans are slow-cooked together with a big chunk of cured fatback or streaky bacon, often a whole 200g lump, until everything's tender and the liquor is rich. The beans pick up smoky, salty pork notes, and the cooking broth thickens thanks to the pork fat melting and swirling round. Served hot, ladled over with some of the cooking liquid.
What changed, and what each change costs
Fatback (200g) for a single slice of lean back bacon (30g)
Fatback is 90% pure fat and turns the broth rich, silky and opaque, but drags in most of the dish's calories. I use just enough lean bacon for a hint of pork and salt, but you're not exactly bathing in fat any more.
What it costs you. You lose the milky, mouth-coating liquor and the proper porky slap. The beans aren't nearly as buttery. If you want the real thing, don't even bother going half-fat - splurge or skip.
No charred veg in the original; add a scorched onion
With the fat mostly out, you need a substitute for the smoky background. Charring an onion right in the pan brings a hit of depth and makes up for some of the pork deficit.
What it costs you. It isn't the same as pork fat, but the onion gives you more than a plain, pale bean stew.
Slightly more beans and a handful mashed at the end
Without a proper raft of melted pork, the broth is thin. Adding a bit more bean helps, and mashing some right against the side of the pot thickens things naturally.
What it costs you. The texture is better, but if you're set on a gravy-thick broth, this isn't it. Still, you're not drinking bean water either.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 312 | 268 |
| Protein | 21.6g | 18.5g |
| Fat | 7.6g | 1.4g |
| Saturated fat | 2.7g | 0.4g |
| Carbohydrate | 41.7g | 48.5g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 6.9g | 6.9g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Soul Food prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
The method is in the book
If you grew up with the real thing, you'll miss that thick porky film on your lips and the way fatback turns every bean creamy. This is lighter all round - more veg, very little meat, and the broth isn't trying to punch you in the mouth. But it isn't bland; the charred onion and smoky bacon trick you just enough. Is it the classic? Not remotely. But you can serve up a big bowl and not immediately fall asleep, which is no bad thing on a Tuesday.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Soul Food, along with 52 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.