Black-eyed peas were planted in the Southern colonies during the 17th century, possibly brought over by Jewish colonists. The New Year tradition may have spread to non-Jews in the South during the Civil War, when other food was scarce.
The South also has a special connection to the black-eyed pea because its first domestication probably occurred in West Africa, the ancestral home of most African Americans, who make up a large percentage of the Southern population.
A dish with black-eyed peas is a healthy way to start off the New Year. A serving of black-eyed peas has more folic acid than any other food except for liver.
Folic acid (or folate) is a B vitamin that the body uses to produce red blood cells. During pregnancy, folic acid is especially important for the development of a baby’s brain.
The nutritionist Jane Brody recommends serving black-eyed peas to children who are reluctant to eat beans. Why, she writes, because they look adorable (the peas, not the kids).
Like other legumes, black-eyed peas are best when purchased dried. The canned peas are pre-softened with unhealthy preservatives.
Dried legumes need to be hydrated. Cover with water and leave overnight. Drain before using in a recipe.
If you don’t have the time for an overnight soak, place the peas in a pot, cover with water, bring to a boil, turn off the heat, let stand for one hour, and drain.
A common Southern New Year dish is Hoppin’ John. The odd name may derive from “pois pigeons,” the Haitian French creole for black-eyed peas.
Hoppin’ John typically includes a pork product, and sometimes greens. Pigs represent forward progress, because of their movement when foraging, and the greens symbolize the color of U.S. paper money.
In a large pot, heat oil. Add a bunch of chopped greens such as collards or kale, plus one cup chopped onion, one-half cup chopped celery, one-half cup chopped green pepper, one minced garlic, and black pepper.
Cook the vegetables for a couple of minutes, until wilted but not burned. Add diced leftover ham or pork.
Add the presoaked and drained black-eyed peas and four cups vegetable or chicken stock. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 40 minutes.
Serve over rice. The dish can be made spicy hot with the addition of cayenne, chili pepper, or other hot spices.
Best wishes for a healthy and prosperous 2014.
Organic black-eyed peas are available in bulk at MOON Co-op Grocery, Oxford’s consumer-owned full-service grocery featuring natural, local, organic, sustainable, and Earth-friendly products. MOON Co-op, located at 512 S. Locust St. in Oxford, is open to the public every day. www.mooncoop.coop.
Note about last week’s column: In last week’s column, the Romanian word for cottage cheese pie is placinta, and the correct Romanian phrase for good appetite is pofta buna. The Romanian words did not print correctly because my submission included accent marks over all of the a’s.
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