For more than 1500 years, people have been eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day for good luck, and I am no exception. I don’t, however, particularly care for Hoppin’ John, a popular Southern dish made with black-eyed peas and rice, because I think it’s bad luck to start the New Year’s diet with all those carbs. Instead, one of my favorite ways to prepare black-eyed peas is to simmer them with some broth, vegetables, a smidgen of bacon, and a little Cajun spice for kick. I hope this batch will bring me luck in 2013! Happy New Year!
LUCKY BLACK-EYED PEAS
Author: Tag Sale Tastes
Recipe type: Vegetable
Ingredients
- 1 slice bacon, diced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1 pound fresh black-eyed peas
- 2 14.5-ounce cans chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon Cajun or Creole spice
- 2 dried cayenne peppers
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Place bacon in a large stockpot over medium high heat and saute until browned and fat is rendered. Add onion, garlic, carrots, and celery, and saute until vegetables are soft. Add black-eyed peas, broth, spice mix, and cayenne peppers, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until peas are tender, approximately 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm and feel lucky.
Feelin’ lucky!
