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8 ways to make black-eyed peas for New Year's Day

Serving up black-eyed peas for the New Year is a cherished Southern tradition believed to bring health and good fortune for the coming year.

7. Homestyle black-eyed peas

A Palatable Pastime
Homestyle black-eyed peas balance out the rich foods of holiday feasting. It's a Southern tradition to eat black-eyed peas on New Year's Day.

By Sue Lau, A Palatable Pastime

Serves 6

8 ounces dried black-eyed peas, sorted
4 slices bacon, chopped
1 rib celery, diced
1/2 cup diced carrot
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced roasted green hatch chilies or other green chilies
½ to 1 fresh jalapeno, depending on your heat preference, seeded and chopped
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons Tony Chachere’s Cajun spice
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
4 cups warm water

1. Sort peas and cover with water by about an inch. Bring to a boil; boil 3 minutes and remove from heat; let sit covered 1 hour.

2. Drain peas and set aside.

3. Brown the chopped bacon and when it is half cooked, add the celery, carrot, and onion, stir and cook until the vegetables are mostly soft.

4. Stir in the chiles, jalapeno, and chopped garlic and about 1 cup of the water.

5. Stir the tomato paste, chili powder, Cajun spice, black pepper and thyme in.

6. Finish adding the water along with the soaked peas; bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

7. Remove lid and simmer 20-25 minutes more, just long enough so that it is thick as you like. If you like it soupy, just serve after 1 hour.

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Mark Sappenfield
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