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1
Combine the black-eyed peas, crumbled bacon, 3 tablespoons of reserved bacon fat, red wine vinegar, olive oil, red onion, bell pepper, celery, green onions, jalapenos, parsley, garlic, 2 teaspoons Essence, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl and toss well to combine.
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2
Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, stirring occasionally.
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3
Allow salad to come to room temperature for 30 minutes and toss well just before serving.
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4
Season the fillets well on both sides with Essence, salt and white pepper.
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5
In a shallow bowl or plate, combine the cornmeal and flour.
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6
Dredge the fillets in the cornmeal mixture, coating completely.
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7
In a 10-inch nonstick saute pan, over medium heat, add half of the vegetable oil.
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8
When the oil is hot, add half of the butter and half of the fillets and saute until golden, about 2 minutes on the first side and 1 to 2 minutes on the second side.
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9
Remove the fillets and drain on paper towels.
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10
Repeat with the remaining vegetable oil, butter and remaining fillets, wiping the saute pan, if necessary, between batches.
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11
Serve the fillets immediately, 2 per person, with some of the black-eyed pea salad spooned over the top.
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12
Garnished with chopped chives.
