Black-Eyed Pea, Bacon, and Pickled Okra Bruschetta

Delicious! This offers an interesting way to use black eyed peas, and has a nice balance of flavors and textures. I was only able to find spicy pickled okra, but it worked great and wasn't all that spicy in the small amounts used. Maybe the baguette I got was smaller than what the recipe author used, because I made 10 toasts and still had half the black eyed pea mixture left, along with other leftover ingredients. We won't mind at all having another round of these!

I made this as an appetizer for a large gathering at Thanksgiving, and it got rave reviews from everyone! I couldn't find pickled okra, so I used cocktail onions, cut them in half and placed two halves on each piece. Everyone commented on the lovely color of the blackeyed peas - almost like a liver pate - and loved the contrast in flavors and textures between the pickled onion, the rich bacon, the smooth blackeyed pea puree and the crunchy baguette slices. I also loved how quickly this recipe came together and how eminently transportable it was. I put each of the components in a separate container and assembled the bruschetta when I arrived at my destination. I look forward to making it again.