New Year's Good Luck

Every year I make Hoppin' John for New Year's Day. By tradition the black-eyed peas and rice are supposed to bring good luck for the coming year -- for extra measure I usually cook up a pot of greens (also because James loves them). The beans are supposed to bring coins to mind (and to your pocket), the greens (this year it was kale) piles of "folding money."

To cook up our pot of luck I started with some slab bacon cut into chunks and rendered over a low flame. To the the pork fat I added chopped onions, carrots, celery, dried thyme, oregano, bay leaves, cayenne pepper, white pepper, black pepper, and chopped garlic. When the onions were soft but not yet colored I added in some fresh black-eyed peas, a couple of piquillo peppers I had left from James' steak sauce the other night and a good quantity of home made turkey stock (in the freezer since Thanksgiving). I brought the pot up to a boil and let it simmer until the beans were just about tender (about an hour). I added salt to taste and big mounds of shredded kale to the pot and let it cook down in the liquid until the greens were tender -- about another 20 minute or so. I finished the dish with a little swirl of cream to mellow the flavors. This year I served the rice on the side instead of cooking it in the "pot likker." Either way 2011 is looking good -- starting with this dinner.

Happy New Year!