Black-Eyed Pea Cakes

• 2 16 oz cans black-eyed peas, drained
• 3 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
• 2 Tbs oil for sauteéing
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp basil
• 1/2 tsp cayenne
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup flour
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup half-and-half
• 1-1/2 cups bread crumbs
• a few Tbs vegetable oil for frying

Sauté the onion and garlic together, in butter or vegetable oil.

Add 2/3 of the black-eyed peas, the bacon, onion, garlic, basil, cumin, cayenne and salt to a food processor and blend until almost smooth. Transfer to a bowl and add the remaining black-eyed peas and the heavy cream. Mix well with a spoon. Refrigerate an hour or so until cool.

Form the mixture into cakes (about 8-10 cakes total). If the mixture is too thin to form into cakes, you can bind it together with a tablespoon or so of bread crumbs.

Beat together the egg and the half-and-half.

Dip the cakes into the flour, then the egg mixture, then the bread crumbs. Fry the cakes in oil, 2-3 minutes per side. Cool on paper towels.

You can drizzle the cakes with hot sauce (like Texas Pete) when serving if you want, or serve with Comeback Sauce.