To me, purple hull peas are as southern as sweet tea. You can’t live in the south and not eat these gems in the summer.  And right now is purple hull pea season!  If you have a few kids to entertain during these last few days of summer break, pick up some unshelled peas at your local farmers market and get them to shellin’. Otherwise, you can probably find them already shelled, I did.

The peas are a cousin to black eyed peas, and named for their purple shell.  The secret to making them delicious is to keep them from getting mushy, and throwing them into the slow cooker is the easiest way to do it.  I had some Homemade Chicken Stock in the freezer, so I just add it partially frozen.  You can use stock from a box, or even water if you’re out of stock.   Adding some ham or bacon would be great, too, for some extra flavor!

I like to serve them with cornbread and plenty of Tabasco!