For the black-eyed peas, in a large pot, cook the bacon on medium heat until crisp, turning once. Remove the bacon from the pot, leaving in the grease.
Add the jalapeños to the pot, and while stirring occasionally, cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 more seconds.
Add to the pot the black-eyed peas, salt, chili powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne, bay leaf, and water. Cut the cooked bacon into pieces and add it to the pot, too. Bring the pot to a boil, then turn the heat down to low and cover the pot. Simmer the peas covered for 1 1/2 hours.
After 1 ½ hours, remove the lid and test the peas to see where they’re at in terms of tenderness. Continue to cook the peas uncovered until they’re your desired texture, which can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the peas.
Once the peas are tender, taste and add more salt and adjust seasonings if desired. Serve warm with pickled jalapeños on the side.
Meanwhile, for the rice, in a heavy-bottom pan, heat the olive oil on medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the cumin, oregano, salt, and tomato paste until well combined. Add the rice and stir until well blended with the tomato paste and spices.
Pour in the water, turn the heat up to high, and cook uncovered until boiling. When it boils, cover the pot, turn the heat down to low, then simmer for 20 minutes. After this time, turn off the heat and leave on the lid for 10 more minutes.
Remove the lid, fluff the rice, then stir in the lime juice. Taste and adjust the seasonings if you like. Garnish with cilantro. Serve with the black-eyed peas.
Notes
This will serve 4 as a main dish or 8 as a side. The recipe calls for only 1 cup instead of the usual 2 cups since you're combining the peas with rice. That said, feel free to double it if you prefer more peas!