- 4 (15 1/2-ounce) cans black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained (about 6 1/2 cups)
- 3 red bell peppers, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/4 cups fresh bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 1 1/2 tablespoons coarse salt
- 1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal plus additional for dusting
- 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- Accompaniment:jerk pork
- Mash half of peas in a bowl with a fork and stir in remaining peas.
- Cook red peppers in butter in a large nonstick skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until barely softened. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute more. Transfer one third of pepper mixture to a bowl and cool. Set aside for red pepper mayo.
- Stir remaining pepper mixture into peas with bread crumbs, cilantro, eggs, cumin, and salt. Scoop 1 tablespoon mixture into palm of your hand (mixture will be soft and moist) and form into a roughly 1-inch-wide patty. Put it on a tray and form more patties in same manner, arranging in 1 layer on tray. Dip patties, 1 at a time, into cornmeal, turning gently to coat, and transfer as coated to a tray lined with wax paper and dusted with cornmeal. Chill patties, covered, at least 2 hours and up to 8.
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook cakes, 12 at a time, until golden, about 3 minutes on each side. Put cakes as cooked in 1 layer in a large shallow baking pan. Between batches, carefully wipe skillet clean with paper towels and add more oil.
- Stir mayonnaise into reserved red pepper mixture and season with salt and pepper. Reheat cakes in middle of oven until hot, about 5 minutes, and top with red pepper mayo and jerk pork.