How to Start the New Year

When I was growing up in western North Carolina, most every year on New Year's Day, my mama fixed black eyed peas and greens. She always told us that we ate the greens (usually less than traditional spinach) for money and the beans for good luck in the new year. The custom of eating greens and beans on New Year's is found throughout the South, and the beans can vary from place to place. Some people might eat red beans and rice or Moors and Christians (black beans and rice) instead of black eyed peas and rice, or hoppin' John. Now that I'm cooking for myself, I have continued the tradition with some changes to suit my own tastes. For one thing, I don't eat ham with it or cook fatback or hog jowl in my greens or beans. A few years back I discovered the delights of collards and made it my mission in life to spread the good word. Now there's no going back to spinach on New Year's. I always have cornbread with it because it's just good. Here's how I start my new year off right.

Hoppin' John

"Now hopping-John was F. Jasmine's very favorite food. She had always warned them to wave a plate of rice and peas before her nose when she was in her coffin, to make certain there was no mistake; for if a breath of life was left in her, she would sit up and eat, but if she smelled the hopping-John, and did not stir, then they could just nail down the coffin and be certain she was truly dead."—Carson McCullers, "The Member of the Wedding"

Bring the black eyed peas to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan. Add the crushed red pepper. Cover the beans and lower the heat. Simmer for 30 to 45 minutes until partially done. Add the salt and the onion and cook for another 30 to 45 minutes until the beans are done.

While the beans are cooking, prepare the rice. Bring 2 1/8 cups water to a boil in a saucepan and add the rice. Lower the heat to a simmer and cover tightly. Cook without disturbing for about 40 to 50 minutes.

Serve the beans hot over rice.

Serves 4.

*Let beans soak in about two to three times their volume of water overnight or for at least eight hours.

Braised Collards

"And collard greens—you're supposed to eat them without fail on New Year's Day, because they're green like money, and they bring you good luck."—Annie Walker in "Southern Foods"

Cook the collards in a large pot of boiling salted water for about ten minutes. Before they're cooked, the collards will probably fill two large mixing bowls, but they cook down to at least a quarter of their volume once they're boiled. Remove the collards from the boiling water and set them aside. Reserve at least 1/2 cup of the boiling water (aka "potlikker"). When the collards have cooled off a bit, chop them coarsely.

While the collards are boiling, brown the butter. Heat it over medium in a large skillet and let it cook a little longer than usual. All the milk solids and the butter should be brown, and the butter will have a nutty aroma. (If you're using olive oil, just heat it over medium.) It's hot enough when a piece of onion in the oil sizzles. When the butter is browned and hot, add the onion, garlic, and crushed red pepper, and cook until the onion is soft. Add the greens, the potlikker, and salt to the skillet. Cook for about half an hour and taste for salt. Serve hot.

Serves 4-6.

Cornbread

Heat oven to 450°F. Grease a 9-inch skillet (preferably cast iron) or an 8 x 8 inch square pan, and place in the oven to heat for at least 5 minutes. This will help give your cornbread a nice brown crust.

In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Combine the egg (or vegan equivalent), liquid, and oil in another bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well. Pour the batter into the greased pan and bake for about 20-25 minutes. When the bread is done, it will be golden and cracked on the top. A knife inserted into the bread should come out clean. Cornbread tastes best hot.

Serves 6-8.

**To clabber soymilk, use 1 teaspoon vinegar or lemon juice per cup of soymilk.

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E-mail questions to Meghan Lafferty at melaffer@email.unc.edu
Last updated October 14, 2002.