Black-eyed peas grace our New Year's table every year. Black-eyed peas and collard greens, too. Not only do I enjoy a particular fondness of these hallmarks of traditional southern cooking, I love myth and superstition and ritual. They promise good fortune, you see, and who am I to argue with that sort of age-old wisdom? I cling to old things, myth and ritual. And, for what it's worth, I never sweep on New Year's Day either, lest I sweep all our luck straight out the door.
This year we'll serve Black-eyed Pea Cakes - blended with collards and sweet potatoes, then spiked with cayenne pepper and smoked paprika. I like them wrapped in bacon and served with a simple mayonnaise or with leftover gravy as the lean Black-eyed Pea Cakes want a little creaminess.
If the snow keeps up, and it looks like it might, we'll pack up the cakes with a thermos full of hot apple cider and head outside toward the river to play in knee-deep snow.
Black-eyed Peas
Native to West Africa, black-eyed peas traveled across the globe to Asia and to the southern United States. Before soy became ubiquitous, black-eyed peas provided fodder for animals to supplement what they would receive at pasture. While pulses have been considered lucky foods, it was at about the time of the civil war that the humble black-eyed pea began its lucky streak. Legend holds that as union armies swept through the south, they confiscated food but left the black-eyed pea and other animal fodder alone. Whether it's true, I haven't any idea, but it's a romantic story for a little dry pea.
Black-eyed peas, like greens, bring good fortune and wealth for the coming year when eaten on New Year's Day as they represent coins.
Collard Greens
Collard greens, like black-eyed peas, are another transplant from Africa, both having found their way to the South with the slave trade. The large, sturdy green leaves symbolize dollar bills. And while I love collard greens in this simple Black-eyed Pea Cakes, my favorite way to serve them is in Creamed Collards. Though this recipe for Southern-style Collards with broth and bacon sounds divine.
Pork
Lastly, we always plan to eat a little pork on New Year's Day. Pigs move forward as they root around, symbolizing progress to come in the new year. And if bacon-wrapped black-eyed pea cakes don't work for you, try this dish of Pork and Sauerkraut.
Deanna says
I had the same problem as a couple of readers with the mixture being really mushy and when cooking they didn’t really crisp up enough for patties. We ended up eating them mashed potato-style, with the bacon cooked separately & crumbled-in. Very tasty, but disappointed they didn’t work out as planned.
Mia says
What can i use instead of arrowroot? Not a staple in this house and not readily found where i am for the holiday.
Jenny says
You can use cornstarch if you like.
John Howieson says
OMG! Reading about black eyed peas, and other great food, all woven into a wonderful mea; not to forget some basic human US history, and how forebears survived, is a wonderful piece of work.
Thanks for dropping this in my email box. Looking forward to the next.
John in Canada
Rachel says
Hi jenny,
Wondering if you could advise: I followed all of the instructions to a tee (or so I thought), but somehow wound up with a mixture at the end that was hummus-like in consistency, as my husband called it. I couldn't form the dough into cakes to save my life, and the patty-like shapes that I was able to form and wrap in the bacon didn't really cook at all. No crispness, just limp and doughy. Not sure what to do with the remaining mash now, or if it's salvageable. I was thinking of maybe cooking it in the oven now, but my husband is doubtful that that will help matters. Any thoughts? I would hate to throw all of it away!!!! Thanks so much!
Erin says
Wow, I don't know what I did but these did not fry up correctly in my cast iron skillet. The only substitution I made was to use 1 Tbsp bacon fat and 1 Tbsp coconut oil to fry my patties. When I formed them with my hands, they felt so sticky and loose to me - like they needed something more to bind them together (like egg). Do you have any idea what I may have done wrong? Maybe my patties were too big... Anyway, I ended up just turning everything into a big skillet supper - it still tasted good!
Erin Hicks says
Hi Jenny,
I love your site and look forward to buying your cookbook. When soaking beans or grains, do you make sure you are using filtered water? The reason I ask is that my only source of filtered water comes from my refrigerator (we use a double filtration system on the water lining running into our fridge to remove fluoride and other impurities), but obviously this water is dispensed cold.
So I have two choices - warm the cold filtered water for soaking in a pot on the stove, or use unfiltered warm water from my sink.
Thank you for any advice!
Erin
Jenny says
I usually use hot tap water for soaking. It's just easier!