Boiled Lady Peas

1. Wash the shelled lady peas in cold water, discarding any that look damaged or dull. Fresh peas should look shiny and firm.

2. Place the lady peas in a large pot and add enough pork stock to cover them by at least 1 to 2 inches. Pork stock is traditional with lady peas in the South, but you can always use chicken stock if you don't have any prepared pork stock available.

3. Bring the pot to a low boil over medium heat. The peas will start to give off foam as they boil. Skim the foam off with a slotted spoon.

4. Reduce the heat to low when the lady peas stop foaming and let them simmer in the pot, covered for about 30 minutes, until they are fork tender, but not mushy. Stir the peas occasionally.

5. Stir in diced onions or scallions if you prefer to add flavor, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl, adding enough of the stock to just moisten them. Serve hot.

Braised Lady Peas

1. Coat a large, deep skillet with olive oil and place over medium-high heat on the stove,

2. Add diced onions and shallots to the pan to cook, stirring frequently until they are translucent. You can also opt to add chopped prosciutto or bacon at this point, to add more flavor

3. Add the washed lady peas to the pot along with enough water to just cover them. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cover. Allow the peas to cook, stirring occasionally, until they are tender, about 30 minutes.

4. Season the peas with salt, pepper and any other seasonings you prefer, including garlic powder and fresh herbs. Let the peas cook covered for another 20 minutes.

5. Turn the heat up to a medium-low and cook for another 10 minutes, uncovered to allow most of the liquid to evaporate before transferring the peas to a serving bowl.