Happy New Year!

Eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day is said to bring good luck in the year to come.

One of the most popular dishes is hoppin’ John, a stew-like dish made with black eyed peas and pork and a variety of other ingredients. Some versions contain rice; others include tomatoes and bell pepper.

The legumes, which technically are not peas but beans, are believed to have originated in Africa or Asia. How they became associated with luck is up for debate.

No one knows for sure exactly how Southerners came to eat black-eyed peas for luck on New Year’s Day, though several theories exist.

Some food historians suggest the practice came about during the Civil War when cowpeas and corn were all that were left in war-ravaged Southern fields, leading to these foods being thought of as lucky.

Serving the peas with collards or other greens is symbolic of a prosperous new year. The peas are round like coins, and the collards are green like paper money.

Yet another theory suggests the practice is borrowed from the Jewish tradition of eating lucky foods on the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah. Sephardic Jews settled in Georgia in the early to mid-1700s. Sephardic Jews can trace their ancestors to Spain, Portugal, North Africa and the Middle East.

For some Southerners you simply cannot eat black-eyed peas without a good hunk of cornbread. Here the peas are baked into the cornbread, along with some cheddar cheese and fresh jalapeno peppers.

Pea-Pickin’ Black-Eyed Pea Corn Muffins

1 ¼ cups cornmeal

½ cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 ½ teaspoons salt

¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese

5 tablespoons butter, melted

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

1 cup milk

1 egg, beaten

1 ½ cups frozen black-eyed peas, cooked and drained OR 1 (15-ounce) can black-eyed peas, rinsed and well drained

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the cheddar and mix well.

In a small bowl, whisk together the butter, jalapeno, milk and egg. Add the butter mixture to the cornmeal mixture, stirring just until moistened. Stir in the peas, mixing until combined. Divide batter between muffin cups.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes 12 muffins.

Recipe adapted from Y’all Come Over by Patsy Caldwell and Amy Lyles Wilson

For the adventurous black-eyed pea eater this soup from former Arkansan Crescent Dragonwagon promises to be like no other.

“You might doubt me when you read the ingredients,” Dragonwagon writes, “but I promise you, this gets better with every bite and is a meal in itself.”

We were doubtful, but one bite confirmed Dragonwagon writes the truth. The combination really works in this dish.

Tanzanian Black-Eyed Pea and Coconut Soup

1 cup dried black-eyed peas, picked over OR 2 (15-ounce) cans black-eyed peas, lightly drained

2 tablespoons coconut oil or other vegetable oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 large bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped

1 small hot chile pepper such as serrano, seeded and minced

1 teaspoon finely chopped crystallized ginger

1 to 2 teaspoons curry powder

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup canned crushed tomatoes

1 (15-ounce) can regular or lite coconut milk

Salt and ground black pepper

1 just ripe banana, peeled and thickly sliced

2 ½ cups cooked white rice, for serving

If using dried beans: Combine the black eyed peas and 1 quart of water in a large, heavy saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until the beans are almost tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

When the beans are nearly tender, heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and chile pepper and continue cooking, stirring often, for 8 to 12 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in the ginger, curry powder and cloves, stirring until the oil takes on a yellowish tint, 1 to 2 minutes more. Add the black-eyed peas, the tomatoes and coconut milk. Continue to simmer, gently, to let the flavors meld, 10 to 20 minutes more.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Just before serving add the banana. Serve hot over rice, if desired.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Recipe adapted from Bean by Bean by Crescent Dragonwagon If something a little more traditional suits your style, this soup fits the bill.

Texas Barbecue Bean Soup

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 cups chopped onions

1 cup diced celery

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1 large red or green bell pepper, seeded and diced

2 tablespoons chipotle peppers in adobo sauce OR 1 fresh jalapeno, minced

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 teaspoons ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

2 cups water

1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 (15-ounce) can black-eyed peas, rinsed

1 (15-ounce) can other bean such as black beans, pinto beans or white beans

1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels

1/3 cup barbecue sauce

Chipotle Cream (recipe follows), optional

Shredded cheese such as Monterey Jack, optional

Heat oil in a soup pot over low heat. Add the onions, celery, garlic and salt and cook 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft. Add the bell peppers, chipotle, oregano, thyme, cumin and black pepper and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the water and tomatoes and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Add the black-eyed peas, beans, corn and barbecue sauce; return to simmer and cook 10 to 30 minutes more. Serve garnished with a dollop of Chipotle Cream or shredded cheese.

Makes about 8 cups.

Chipotle Cream

1 chipotle pepper in adobo

¾ cup plain yogurt

2 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and whirl until smooth.

Makes about 1 cup.

Recipe adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Favorites by The Moosewood Collective This black-eyed pea dish will warm you up with subtle flavors of the tropics.

Caribbean Black-Eyed Peas

2 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil

2 cups chopped onions

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 heaping tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or scant ½ teaspoon dried

½ teaspoon ground allspice

4 cups cooked black-eyed peas OR 3 (15-ounce) cans black-eyed peas, rinsed

1 cup orange juice

Salt and ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat.

Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 6 minutes or until the onions are golden and soft. Add the ginger, thyme and allspice and cook 5 minutes. Add the black-eyed peas and the orange juice and simmer on low for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Makes about 6 servings.

Recipe adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Favorites by The

Moosewood Collective Cornbread, sun-dried tomatoes and black-eyed peas combine in this hearty dish.

Black-Eyed Peas With Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Cornbread Crumble

1 ½ tablespoons olive oil

4 thin slices pancetta, coarsely chopped OR 3 slices bacon, chopped

½ cup finely chopped white onion

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried

2/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, coarsely chopped

4 cups cooked black-eyed peas OR 3 (15-ounce) cans, drained

3 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

2 ½ tablespoons butter

2 cups coarsely crumbled or cut-up cornbread

¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Heat olive oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat.

Add pancetta or bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until pancetta is beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the onion, thyme and tomatoes. Add the black-eyed peas, water and salt.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to maintain a brisk simmer and cook, uncovered, until liquid is almost gone, about 15 minutes.

Melt butter in a large skillet.

Add cornbread chunks and cook, tossing gently, until golden and toasty, about 3 minutes.

To serve, divide cornbread among 4 bowls. Spoon black eyed peas over cornbread and garnish with parsley.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe adapted from Bold: A Cookbook of Big Flavors by Susanna Hoffman and Victoria Wise (January) I eat my peas with honey; I’ve done it all my life.

It makes the peas taste funny, But it keeps them on the knife.

• Anonymous

Black-Eyed Peas With Thyme-Honey Vinaigrette

1 (16-ounce) package dried black-eyed peas

1/3 cup honey

10 sprigs fresh thyme

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and ground black pepper

Sort and clean the peas.

Soak in cold water several hours to overnight. Drain peas and place in a medium stock pot; add enough cold water to cover by 2 inches.

Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to allow the peas to simmer for about 1½ hours until the peas are soft and creamy but still holding their shape. Drain any excess water and cool the peas.

Heat the honey and thyme in a small saucepan over medium heat until the honey simmers.

Turn off the heat and allow the thyme to steep for one hour.

Pass the honey through a sieve.

Whisk the honey with the lemon juice and olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer peas to a serving bowl and add thyme-honey vinaigrette. Mix gently to coat.

Serve immediately or refrigerate until chilled. The black-eyed peas will keep covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Recipe adapted from juf.org

Food, Pages 33 on 01/01/2014