I wasn’t familiar with black-eyed peas until I have married into a Southern family. Those small, creamy-flavored beans with a ‘black eye’ where they were joined to the pod are a Southern good luck tradition for New Year’s Day, one with deep roots in African-American culture.
People in the South will tell you that the tradition dates back to the American Secession War. Black-eyed peas were considered animal food. According to a legend, when General Sherman’s Union troops raided the Confederate food supplies, they took everything except the peas and salted pork. The Confederate soldiers considered themselves lucky to be left with those meager supplies and survived the winter. Peas became a symbol of luck.
Place the black-eyed peas in a large pot and cover with cold water. Let soak for 8 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse before using. In a large pot saute onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until onion becomes translucent, for about 5 minutes. Pour in the chicken broth and bring to boil. Stir in soaked black-eyed peas, ham hocks, diced tomatoes, pepperoncini, bay leaf, garlic powder, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer until peas are tender, ham meat is falling off the bones and the broth is thickened for about 3 hours. Serve with oven-fresh cornbread.Southern New Year's Black-Eyed Peas
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