Black-Eyed Peas with Spinach and Herbs

This easy recipe highlighting fresh spinach and black-eyed peas is inspired by Sabzi-referring to Persian dishes using greens and herbs - ingredients typical to this cuisine. If you use baby spinach, you can skip stemming, making the recipe quicker than ever. Serve with a fresh flatbread and a salad of chickpeas and tomatoes. Photos by Hannah Kaminsky.

Serves: 6

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup chopped leek (white part only), well rinsed
3 ½ cups cooked or two 15-to 16-ounce cans
(drained and rinsed) black-eyed peas
2 large or 3 medium tomatoes, diced
Juice of ½ to 1 lemon, to taste
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
10 to 12 ounces fresh spinach, stemmed and well rinsed
(or baby spinach, rinsed)
½ cup chopped fresh parsley, or more, to taste
4 scallions, white and green parts, sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Hot cooked rice or other grain, optional

Heat the oil in a wide skillet or a steep-sided stir-fry pan. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until translucent.

Add the leek and sauté for 5 minutes or so longer, until both it and the onion are golden.

Stir in the black-eyed peas, tomatoes, lemon juice, and spices. Cook until everything is hot and the tomatoes have softened, about 5 minutes.

Add half of the spinach, cover and cook until wilted down, then add the rest. Once it's all wilted down, stir it in along with the parsley, and scallion. Cook for just a minute or two longer, then season with salt and pepper.

Serve at once over hot cooked rice or other grain, if desired, or in shallow bowls on its own.