D spent a month in Ghana this April. He developed a taste for the common Ghanaian black eyed peas dish, Red Red, and I have been trying to replicate the color and taste for a while now. It is only recently that I found the secret ingredient that gives Red Red and fried plantains their distinctive color and taste: Red Palm Oil. It is more and more common now in local markets and can be found in small or large plastic bottles. Palm oil has a strange consistency that I had to get used to. The oil is solid here in Minnesota in December if you keep your house as cool as mine, so you need to warm it up a bit under warm water or on a warm stove to get it to pour.

I cooked the plantains, the black eyed peas, and the mustard and beet greens in palm oil and the results were as close to authentic as I think I am going to get and very good.

Red Red

  • 4 cups cooked black eyed peas (one cup dried or two cans)
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 1 can crushed tomatoes
  • 1/3 cup red palm oil
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large saucepan and fry the onions, garlic and tomatoes. Add the cooked black eyed peas and vinegar and cook for 20 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

Greens

  • one bunch greens: mustard, collard, beet or a combination
  • one large shallot
  • one piece of ham the size of your hand, chopped
  • two tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp palm oil
  • 1/2 cup pork stock (optional)

1. Boil a large pot of water and add chopped and cleaned greens for 2-3 minutes. Remove and refresh in ice cold water. Drain.

 2. Heat the oil, saute the ham and shallot, deglaze with vinegar, add the greens and 1/2 cup pork stock or water. Simmer until most of the liquid is gone.

Fried Plantains

  • palm oil
  • 2 ripe plantains, peeled and sliced