Black-Eyed Pea and Tomato Salad

This simple salad of earthy-sweet black-eyed peas, crisp vegetables and fragrant herbs stars a smooth, rich garlicky dressing. We simmer a whole head of garlic with the beans, softening and mellowing its flavor, to make the dressing, and we add it to the black-eyed peas while they’re still warm, allowing them to absorb ample flavor as they cool. It’s important to gently incorporate the ingredients; aggressive stirring will turn the black-eyed peas to mush.