Chilies augment the familiar flavor of pea salad
Your definition of comfort food depends, of course, on what you find comforting, and for most of us it's something nostalgic.
Beyond that, it could be anything, really: a cupcake, macaroni and cheese, enchiladas or fried rice.
One that I had almost forgotten about is pea salad. It was a popular Sunday dish, potluck buffet item and even occasional barbecue side in the West Texas of my youth. My favorite versions were heavy on mayonnaise, eggs and cubed cheese. Diet food it wasn't.
I remembered it when I paged through the new book "Turnip Greens & Tortillas," by Eddie Hernandez and Susan Puckett.
Hernandez, an Atlanta chef-restaurateur, notes its Southern popularity but says he learned to make his version in South America.
I'm happy for the influence because he adds heat in the form of poblano and jalapeno peppers (while leaving out the cheese). One bite, and the comfort kicked right in. Makes 8 servings (makes about 4¼ cups) Adapted from "Turnip Greens & Tortillas: A Mexican Chef Spices Up the Southern Kitchen" 2 large eggs 1 poblano pepper, roasted, skinned, stemmed and seeds removed, coarsely chopped 2 jalapeno peppers, roasted, skinned, stemmed and diced (remove some or all of the seeds and membranes for less spice; see NOTE) 4 cups frozen green peas, thawed 3 tablespoons diced red onion
cup mayonnaise ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Fill a large bowl with water and ice. Pour a few inches of water into a medium saucepan fitted with a steamer basket or insert. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and place the eggs in the steamer basket. Cover and cook for 12 minutes, then use a slotted spoon to transfer the eggs to the ice-water bath. Let sit for 5 minutes, then drain.
Peel, then chop the eggs and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the chopped peppers, peas, onion, mayonnaise and salt, stirring to incorporate. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.
NOTE: Roast the poblano and jalapenos on a baking sheet in a 425-degree oven, turning once, until they begin to collapse and the skin looks loosened (about 20 minutes for the poblano and about 10 minutes for the jalapenos). Transfer to a bowl, cover with a plate and let steam for about 10 minutes, then peel and discard the skins and stems; reserve some of the jalapeno seeds to add to the salad, if you like more heat.
PER SERVING: 130 calories, 5 g protein, 11 g carbohydrates, 3 g dietary fiber, 5 g sugar, 8 g fat (1 g saturated), 55 mg cholesterol, 290 mg sodium