Like dad I also make a pot of black-eyed peas to usher positive energy into the new year. New Years and the solstices are threshold days. It is on these days that we can petition the gods to draw good luck through the threshold to infuse the new year. Cultures across the world have devised lucky recipes to draw prosperity and good health. In Germany millet porridge is the dish eaten on New Year’s Day for luck. In Japan the luck drawing dish is made of buckwheat noodles In the US, sauerkraut, lentils, and black-eyed peas are considered lucky fare.
Spicy Lucky Black-Eyed Pea Soup
You will need:
3 cups of dried black-eyed peas, soaked overnight
2 Tablespoons butter
2 cups onion, chopped
1 or 2 jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped
2 or 3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cups tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup molasses
4 cups broth
3 cups of water
1 ham bone or a kielbasa
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped.
salt and pepper
cheese, to garnish
On New Year’s Eve soak 3 cups of black-eyed peas. If you missed this step you can use canned black-eyed peas, drain before adding to cooking pot. On new year’s morning, pour off the water and rinse. Pick out any stones, hulls, or odd looking peas. In a large Dutch oven, melt butter. Add onion and sauté until clear. Add jalapeno and garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Add tomatoes, molasses, broth, black-eyed peas, and or ham and hambone or a chopped kielbasa, parsley leaves and simmer until peas are tender. This will take several hours. Keep an eye on the pot as you may need to add water if it cooks down. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon into serving bowls and garnish with a handful of grated cheddar.