Cooking & Baking
Related: About this forumBlack eyed peas, rice and greens for New Year's Luck 🍀
According to legendary Southern food journalist and writer John Egerton in Southern Food: At Home, On the Road, In History, black-eyed peas are associated with a "mystical and mythical power to bring good luck"1 and have been a Southern staple for more than three centuries. As for collard greens, they're green like money and will ensure you a financially prosperous new year. And isn't that what we all want anyway?
Many Jewish traditions include eating black-eyed peas as a part of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.2 But the tradition of cooking black-eyed peas with rice, in particular, is African in origin. It spread throughout the Southespecially in the Carolinasin the form of pilaus or rice dishes simmered for a long time with chicken or shrimp. When black-eyed peas were added to the pilau, it became Hoppin' John.
https://www.southernliving.com/holidays-occasions/new-years/new-years-traditions-black-eyed-peas
hlthe2b
(114,715 posts)I am not feeling like the "good luck" translated... You?
Clouds Passing
(8,200 posts)As a northerner, I learned to make them for the southern hubs. I made hoppin john (hottin john, whew!) this year. Store was out of collard greens so I sauteed fresh spinach, just as delish. Enjoying it all now! 😋
Good luck and a wonderful 2026 hlthe2b
hlthe2b
(114,715 posts)multigraincracker
(38,058 posts)Clouds Passing
(8,200 posts)Lovie777
(23,752 posts)cooked with salt pork, red sody water, chillings, collard greens.
Good eatings.
Clouds Passing
(8,200 posts)TBF
(37,230 posts)but I "midwesternize" it - black-eyed peas in the crockpot and then whatever else I feel like putting in. This year it's the peas (which are really beans), diced tomatoes, ham, sausage, spinach & chicken broth, and some spices. Served on rice and top it with cheddar cheese. We liked it a lot this year! It damned well better bring us all some luck - we need it with this crazed regime in charge.
Clouds Passing
(8,200 posts)Your recipe sounds yummy. 😋
I did spinach too this year, love it! Black eyed peas, darkly sautéed onions deglaced with white wine, vegetable stock, ac vinegar, fresh garlic, parsley, thyme, crushed pepper, pepper, salt,
Kali
(56,900 posts)today I made a 15 bean soup that did have black eye peas in the mix, cut up a ham steak, and threw in most of a bag of "country greens" that had collard and something else in there. made a pan of cornbread to go with. there was some leftover rice in the fridge but forgot about it when the cornbread came out of the oven. pretty good meal!
Clouds Passing
(8,200 posts)I didnt make cornbread, but i will today to go with the leftovers.
Hugin
(38,002 posts)This year I didnt have any fresh blackeyed peas. So I used dried. Soaking them overnight. Very comparable to fresh.
Clouds Passing
(8,200 posts)I use dried beps. In the summer the local market has them fresh in the pod, the best!
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