2018 is upon us, so I thought I’d try a different “good luck” meal for New Years Day. Some people have Corned Beef and Cabbage, others go for White Bean Soup, in the South, it’s Black Eyed Peas with ham hocks and collard greens. I’ve never had Black-Eyed Peas, which are supposed to bring on prosperity so I thought we’d give them a try with some greens, which is supposed to bring us wealth. (What I really want is for it to help my lingering cold and good health!)
The great thing about black eyed peas is that they don’t need to soak over night or cook for hours, so you can make it and enjoy it. I made mine with a little heat in the Italian sausages instead of ham hocks and added kale instead of the traditional collard greens.
I’m planning on making a lot of soups this month, hope that are all as good as this one! This is great for a cold day, not just for New Years Day.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
- 1 pound hot Italian sausages (about 5 links), pricked with a fork
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 celery stalks, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
- One 14-ounce can tomatoes, drained and chopped
- 2 cups dried black-eyed peas, picked over and rinsed
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 cups water
- 2 cups chopped kale, tough stems removed
- Salt to taste
Preparation
In a sauce pan, heat 6 cups of water with the black eyed peas until boiling. Cook 4 minutes and strain. Set aside
In a large enameled cast-iron casserole or heavy soup pot, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the sausages and cook over moderate heat, turning occasionally, until they are cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer the sausages to a plate.
Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic and jalapeño to the casserole and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until just beginning to brown, about 6 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and cook until any liquid is evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the black-eyed peas along with the broth and water. Season lightly with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover partially and simmer over moderately low heat until the black-eyed peas are just tender, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Cut the sausages on the diagonal into 1/2-inch slices or a smaller chop if you like and add them to the stew along with any accumulated juices from the plate. Add the chopped kale, season with salt and pepper and simmer the stew for 10 minutes. Spoon the pea-and-sausage stew into deep bowls and serve with some good crusty bread or homemade croutons.
