It is hereby decreed by the authority invested in me that you have to eat blackeyed peas on New Year’s Day and I don’t want to hear any bellyaching about it. I don’t think enough of you ate them last year because…2020.
So I’m going to tell you how I make and eat them. The doctoring up before eating them is important. At least to me. And some guy from Cameron is the one who taught me how to do it. His recipe was in a cookbook that Mom gave me and I swear by his doctoring up method.
I usually buy some sort of smoked meat like ham hocks to start making the broth. Sauté onions, celery, garlic (and any other veggies you like to add) then fill the pot with water and/or chicken stock. Drop in the smoked meat. Boil that for a long time. I usually do this part the day before.
Add the black-eyed peas and cook them until they are tender. Also make some cornbread. It’s illegal to eat black-eyed peas without cornbread.
Remove the ham hocks and cut the meat into bite size pieces and add them back to the peas.
Now for the doctoring.
Place your hot cornbread in your bowl. Ladle the peas on top without much liquid. Add more liquid if needed to make the cornbread moist but not enough to make it soupy. Next, top with cold cut up tomatoes and green onions. I top with a very healthy sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper and some kosher salt.
That combination of flavors, textures and different temperatures makes for some very good eating.
What else could you add, you may ask. It’s also good with smoked sausage or bacon. I have added raw spinach during the cooking of the peas. If you like things spicy you could add jalapenos or cayenne pepper.
Now eat your black-eyed peas or I will have to add your name to the jail log in next week’s paper.
—kwc—
After you finish your black-eyed peas you’ll need a celebratory kind of dessert to ring in the New Year. Here’s an easy Pavlova recipe. I love Pavlova. So simple but delicious.
Easy Pavlova with Fruit
4 egg whites
1 ¼ cups white sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp cornstarch
1 pint heavy cream
Fruit, peeled and sliced if necessary*
Preheat oven to 300. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Draw a 9-inch circle on the parchment paper.
In a large bowl, beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Gradually add in the sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat until thick and glossy. Gently fold in vanilla extract, lemon juice and cornstarch.
Spoon mixture inside the circle drawn on the parchment paper. Working from the center, spread mixture toward the outside edge, building edge slightly. This should leave a slight depression in the center.
Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a wire rack.
In a small bowl, beat heavy cream until stiff peaks form; set aside. Remove the paper, and place meringue on a flat serving plate. Fill the center of the meringue with whipped cream, and top with fruit slices.
*This recipe called for kiwi as the fruit but you can substitute any fruit you like. Any kind of berry, pineapple, mango, or a combination thereof. If you prefer sweetened whipped cream, you may add two teaspoons of sugar while whipping the cream, or to taste.
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