Creole Black-Eyed Peas 'n' Corn

This hearty bean dish is one of our favourite no-meat meals. I try to have a couple of vegetarian main meals on the menu each week, both to save money and so we don't overdo it with meat. This will serve six people. If you like to make really big batches and freeze some, you can double the recipe, do the chopping and sauteeing in the Thermomix, then cook it slowly in a big stock pot on the stove.

We love to eat this with cornbread.  Add more or less water, depending how 'soupy' you like it.

1.  Soak beans overnight; or if you're in a hurry, bring them to the boil, turn off stove and leave to sit (covered) for an hour:
- 1 1/2 cups black-eyed peas (also known as black-eyed beans)
- about 5 cups water

2. Drain beans, re-cover with water so there's about 2 inches of water above the beans, and bring to the boil.  Add seasonings, boil briefly then reduce heat to simmer:
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 1/2 tsp dried Italian herbs
- 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
Beans need to simmer for about an hour, or until tender, before adding to the Thermomix. Never add salt to the beans while they're cooking or they'll turn out tough!

Note: You can cook the black-eyed peas in the Thermomix if you'd rather - just soak the beans overnight, place in rice basket, add twice the amount (in grams) of water, then cook at 90 degrees for an hour on speed 2-3 (or until tender).

3. Next, place in Thermomix and chop on speed 7 for 3 seconds:
- 2 cloves garlic

4. Add and chop on speed 5 for 3 seconds:
- 1 large onion, quartered
- half a green capsicum, de-seeded and quartered
- half a red capsicum, de-seeded and quartered

5.  Add ghee and saute on 100 degrees, 5 mins, speed 1:
- 30g ghee (or olive oil or butter)

6. Add and cook at 100 degrees, 20 minutes, reverse speed 1:
- 1 x 400g tins of crushed tomatoes, or 400g fresh tomatoes chopped in Thermomix
- 100g tomato paste
- 2 Tblspns honey
- 2 tsp vege stock paste
- cooked beans
- 1 cup frozen corn (approx.)
- 2 tsps smoked paprika
- pinch of cayenne pepper, to taste
- 1/2 tsp dry thyme
- 1 tsp Italian herbs
- a little water - fill bowl to 2 litre mark, not over!

Serve with corn bread or crusty spelt bread.