Black-eyed Peas on New Year’s Day is a longstanding southern tradition. I have done this even if it’s just a tiny amount my entire life. I actually love them!
Do you know why it’s good luck to eat black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day? As with most superstitions, there are several answers to the question.
Most Southerners will tell you that this culinary custom dates back to the Civil War. Black-eyed peas were considered animal food. The peas were not deemed worthy of serving to General Sherman’s Union troops. When Union soldiers raided the Confederates’ food supplies, legend says they took everything except the peas and salted pork. The Confederates considered themselves lucky to be left with those meager supplies, and survived the winter. Peas then became symbolic of luck.
“According to historian and food scholar Adrian Miller, black-eyed peas represent coins, collard greens represent paper money and cornbread represents gold,” the Food Network states. “Some say you’ll have the best chance at luck if you eat exactly 365 peas, one for each day of the year.”
What do you need for these Black-eyed peas?
I don’t necessarily think this pea has a lot of flavor alone, so I cook mine with chicken stock and added water as they cook. I add salt pork, ham hock or bacon or like n this case smoked sausage. I add chopped onions and peppers and I finish with sliced jalapeno at the last 15 minutes of cooking sometimes!
Although this is considered a side dish; however this dish is a little like a soup and is great without anything else but a piece of Southern Cornbread.
Here’s the ingredients for this recipe:
- Olive Oil
- Yellow Onion
- Carrots
- Celery
- Fresh Garlic
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Chicken Stock
- Fresh thyme
- Collard Greens
- Fire roasted diced tomatoes (optional)
- Dried black-eyed peas
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Salt and Pepper
I love these bowls I served the peas in. I actually bought them off amazon because I was looking for a black and white soup or salad bowl for a tablescape. You really can’t see the sides of the bowls from this angle. Here’s a link: https://amzn.to/3Pnfv47
I love the black plates that they are sitting on also. Here’s the link for them: https://amzn.to/3W7Jxg7
What to serve with this dish?
You have to have cornbread with the peas and greens! Here’s one of my great recipes for cornbread! 1 of My Favorites, Easy – Basic Cornbread Recipe with Bacon
Hope you enjoy my recipe!
Black-eyed Peas with Greens and Smoked Sausage
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 cup Yellow Onion, chopped
- 1 cup Carrots, Chopped
- 1/2 cup Celery, Chopped
- 1/2 cup Red bell pepper, Green bell pepper, Yellow or combination
- 2 large Garlic cloves, crushed
- 1/4 tsp Crushed Red Pepper
- 4 Oz Salt pork bacon, ham hock or smoked sausage
- 6 Cups chicken stock
- 3 Fresh Thyme sprigs
- 2 lb. dried black eyed peas (soaked overnight if you like) or 1 lb. frozen (I used frozen this time)
- 2 cups Roughly chopped collard or mustard greens
- 1 can Fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained (optional)
- Additional water as the peas cook
- 2 Tbsps. red wine vinegar
- Salt and pepper to taste
- jalapeno, sliced if desired
Instructions
- In a medium size pot, add olive oil and heat to medium low. Add onion, carrots, celery, bell peppers and celery; cook, stirring often until all vegetables are softened. Add your garlic and crushed red pepper. Cook for a second and add the chicken stock, thyme, greens, tomatoes, your meat of choice and your black-eyed peas.
- Bring to a low boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, adding water or more chicken stock as needed.
- Cook until your peas are tender. If you are using ham hock, you may want to remove it and shred the meat and add it back to the beans.
- Serve as a side dish or as a complete meal with Southern Corn Bread.