Good Food Every Day

Growing up, we always had a certain meal that we ate on New Year's Day here in western North Carolina. The foods were eaten to ensure health, wealth and good luck for the coming year.

We ate black-eyed peas for luck, greens for wealth and hog's jowl for health. What did Y'all eat?

Here are how I prepare those foods:


Black Eyed Peas

1. Sort and wash the beans: Arrange the dried beans on a baking sheet and remove any debris or shriveled beans. Place the beans in a colander and run under cold water to wash anyway any dirt or dust.

2. Soak the beans: If you're cooking black-eyed peas the traditional way (i.e. stovetop method), then you'll need to soak them first. You can soak them one of two ways: 1) Cover them with water and add two tablespoons kosher salt per pound of beans. Soak overnight. 2) Place beans in a large pot over the stove and cover with water. Add salt and bring the water to a boil. Turn off the heat and let them soak for an hour.

3. Cook the beans: Once your beans are done soaking, rinse and drain them. Add them to a pot over the stove and cover with at least two inches of water or stock. Add any salt or aromatics. Simmer until the beans are tender, about an hour. You can test them for doneness by either tasting them or mashing them against the side of the pot.

Greens
Southern Style Greens
If using fresh greens, wash thoroughly, cut out stems, and chop if desired. Boil in a large pot. Greens will wilt down a LOT. Cook them until they are as done as you like. You may season them with whatever seasonings you desire. Where I cam from, they were cooked with pork grease, rendered from frying sliced and salted pork fat or fatback. A little salt and pepper and you're set. Served with vinegar poured over them.
*My mother always brought greens to a boil and cooked them for several minutes then poured that water off and started with fresh water. This parboiling was done tio remove bitterness from some greens.


Hog's Jowl
Here in the south, they sell hog's jowl at this time of the year. It is basically a bacon made of the jowl portion of a hog. It is a mix of lean and fat and salted. It is cooked like bacon.

We also make corn bread to go with our meal.

Cornbread

1 cup self rising corn meal
3/4 cup buttermilk
less than 1/4 cup water

Stir batter until thin, like pancake batter. Pour into a small greased cast iron skillet and bake at 425 for 30 minutes or until the top is brown. Invert onto plate and slice.

So what do you eat on New Year's day?