Recipes for a prosperous New Year

Looking for luck and prosperity in the coming year? Black-eyed peas are a traditional New Year’s dish in the Southern U.S., with the key ingredient signifying good fortune.

It’s also said that we make our own luck, and black-eyed peas can help with that too: The legumes (technically beans) are an inexpensive, nourishing source of potassium, iron and fiber—a wealth of nutrition on a plate. While we don’t have Chef Kristi Brown’s secret recipe for black-eyed pea hummus (see story here), we do have a version of the dish from PCC cooking class instructor Birgitte Antonsen, along with a variety of other PCC black-eyed pea recipes: Hoppin’ John, a soup, a salad, and an herbed Persian stew from PCC cooking class instructor Omid Roustaei.

Black-eyed Pea Spread

2 cups dried black-eyed peas (can substitute garbanzos, Great Northern or soybeans), or 2 cans cooked
3 cups vegetable stock
1 onion, quartered
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup tahini
¼ cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest, optional
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic
2 to 3 teaspoons whole cumin, roasted and ground
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons paprika
2 to 4 tablespoons tamari
Salt to taste

Remove any stones or dirt from the beans (if using dried beans). Cover with cold water and soak overnight. Drain and rinse thoroughly.

In a pot, add the beans and cover with vegetable stock. Add the onion and salt. Cook beans until soft; the cooking time depends on the bean used, but around one hour. Let the beans sit in the cooking liquid until cold. Drain off liquid.

In a food processor, add the cooked beans and all the other ingredients. Process until creamy. Refrigerate until ready to use or freeze in smaller portions using freezer bags. Use within three days.

Black-eyed Peas, Ham and Kale Salad

Serves 4 to 6

½ cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
¼ teaspoon turmeric
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 (14-ounce) cans black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained (see note)
1 cup diced cooked ham
½ red onion, diced
1 bunch lacinato kale, stems removed and leaves thinly sliced
1 bunch radishes, scrubbed and thinly sliced
2 ribs celery, diced

In a small bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, red pepper flakes and turmeric. Mix well and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine peas, ham, onions, kale leaves, radishes and celery. Drizzle with yogurt dressing and mix well. Let sit covered in the refrigerator, to allow flavors to meld, at least 30 minutes or overnight.

Note: To prepare dried black-eyed peas, soak 2 cups peas in water for at least 4 hours. Drain and rinse. Place beans in a large soup pot and cover with ample water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until just tender, about 1 hour. Drain.

PCC Black-eyed Peas with Kale Soup

2 cups dried black-eyed peas
2 tablespoons neutral-flavored oil
2 cups diced onions
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced carrots
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme
1 ½ teaspoons dried sage
¾ teaspoon dried rosemary
1 bay leaf
¼ pound green kale, tough stems removed and leaves chopped
4 ounces frozen sweet corn
2 quarts vegetable stock
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Soak peas in water for at least 4 hours. Drain and rinse.

In a large soup pot, cover peas with ample water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until just tender, about 1 hour. Drain and set aside.

Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Sauté onions, celery, carrots, garlic, oregano, thyme, sage and rosemary until soft, about 10 minutes. Add bay leaf.

Add kale, corn and cooked black-eyed peas to the pot. Cover with stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Good ol’ Hoppin’ John

Serves 8 to 10

1 cup dried black-eyed peas
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
6 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon Spike Seasoning (Note: Available in PCC’s bulk department)
1 smoked turkey leg or thigh
1 cup basmati rice
1½ cups chopped tomatoes, divided
Salt and pepper, to taste
½ cup finely chopped green bell peppers
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Squeeze of fresh lemon
Hot sauce, to taste

Rinse peas. Cover with 8 cups water in a large pot and bring to a rapid boil for 2 minutes; remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 1 hour. Or, cover with 8 cups water in a large pot and let stand overnight or at least 6 hours. Drain peas and rinse.

In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat and cook onions until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add peas, broth, Spike and smoked turkey. Bring the mixture back to a simmer and cook for 1 to 2 hours, until peas are very tender.

Remove turkey from the pot and shred the meat, discarding the bone. Stir rice, 1 cup tomatoes and turkey meat back into beans. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Turn the heat off and let stand for 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Fluff with a fork.

Combine ½ cup tomatoes, peppers, parsley, lemon juice, and salt and hot sauce, to taste. Serve spooned over beans.

Khoresh-e-Ghormeh Sabzi (fresh herb stew)

Serves 4

1 cup chopped spinach
1 cup chopped cilantro
1 cup chopped parsely
1 leek
1 large onion, sliced
½ cup oil
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
½ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon cinnamon
2 carrots, diced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 cups water
1 (14-ounce) can black-eyed peas
1 lime, juiced

In a food processor, blend spinach, cilantro, parsley and leek to a fine chop and set aside.

In a pot over medium heat, sauté onions in oil for about 5 minutes. Add salt, pepper, turmeric, cinnamon, carrots and mushrooms. Sauté for an additional 2 minutes. Transfer chopped greens to the pot, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes.

Add water, black-eyed peas and lime juice and simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes.

Serve over your favorite grain. Traditionally, this dish is served over white basmati rice, like any other Persian stew.