New Year's Day: Blackeyed Peas and Collard Greens

In my final tribute to the foods of the winter holidays, I made a meal that's traditionally served on New Year's Day in the South. It is thought that if you eat this meal on the first day of the year, you'll have good luck. I don't know about the good luck part, but this is a delicious meal that will at least bring you a sigh of satisfaction when you eat it.

These are my own recipes, which are based on the many I've read and tried over the years. As with all recipes, they can of course be varied according to your personal taste (I don't think I ever make these quite the same way twice). But what follows is, to me, "the basics."

Blackeyed Peas with Ham

2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/2 to 1 pound ham, chopped, or a smoked ham hock
1 cup blackeyed peas (I used dried)
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 or 2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons Creole seasoning, more or less, to taste (I use Tony Chachere's)
Dash Worchestershire sauce

Soak the blackeyed peas in water to cover by 2 inches for 4 to 6 hours (you can skip this step, but it makes the dried peas cook more evenly). Sauté the onion, celery, and ham in the oil until the vegetables are softened (not browned). Add the peas, Worchestershire sauce, and garlic, and water to cover. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and cook for 45 minutes to an hour (until the peas are soft but still intact). Serve over hot rice.
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This is the Creole seasoning I use. It's called Tony Cachere's Creole Seasoning. I love this stuff! It's both salt and pepper (and other seasonings), so as the saying on the can goes, "when it's salty enough, it's spicy enough."

Collard Greens

1 bunch collard or other greens
1 smoked turkey wing or ham hock, or 1/4 cup bacon grease
1/2 stick butter
Creole seasoning to taste
Tabasco sauce to taste

Put chopped greens and turkey wing, ham hock, or bacon grease into a large pot and cover with water. Add the butter, sprinkle a good amount of Creole seasoning over the top, and add several slugs of Tabasco. Bring greens to a simmer, and cook until tender (I cook them about an hour, while the peas are cooking). Serve alongside peas and rice.
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Salsa

2 tomatoes, finely chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
4 green onions, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
Salt to taste

Mix all ingredients together and let sit for a while to blend flavors. Serve as a condiment with blackeyed peas.
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Happy new year!