Meat & Potatoes & Black-Eyed Peas

Mmmmmm...Scotch eggs, potato salad, olives, pickles, carrots.

Sometimes you just have to get fancy. I made scotch eggs for dinner and saved out a couple for lunch. Mr. Meat-and-Potatoes (that's the guy I married) was thrilled. They are actually not hard to make, just a bit fiddly. They come out better made with small eggs or quail eggs, if you can get them. One of the kids complained that I did not devil the eggs, too. If you're feeling like your cholesterol needs a little extra boost, by all means, devil the eggs. And, sure, I'll have a bite. Otherwise, if you are good at timing eggs, just undercook them a bit so the yolk stays creamier.

Vegans, do not dispair! Just think "falafel" with stuffing! For instance, you could use felafel mix, or leftover lentils-and-rice, or maybe mashed potatoes with a little flour mixed in. Season to taste and wrap it around a small button mushroom, or some cooked eggplant, or a cherry tomato, or tofu-kan colored yellow with turmeric--anything that makes a pretty surprise inside when it's cut open. The pre-cooked filling is not just to be pretty--it's so you can cook the coating to perfection without worrying that the middle is raw.

My absolute favorite bean fritter is Akara:

Akara (African felafel)

Soak some black-eyed peas until they're plumped up, all day or overnight. Grind them in the food processor until smooth with salt and any spices you want. Cumin is always a good one. At the last minute, add some flavorings such as chopped onion, chopped red pepper, parsley and/or cilantro and pulse a few times to incorporate them but not completely break them down. The vegetables should be no more than about 1/4 of the total mass.

You should now have a stiffish batter. Shape the batter into patties or balls. We prefer patties because there's more crispiness, and you can be sure the inside is cooked before the outside is burned. An ice cream scoop works great for quickly shaping many same-sized portions. Fry in the oil of your people, or bake if you prefer. These are so good you will not believe you never ate them before. Way better than felafel, imho.

If you want a "real" recipe, there are many on the 'net. Here's one to get you started: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/saras-secrets/akara-recipe/index.html