Happy New Year --- Restaurant: Don't forget tradition
Arizona Coin Collector
I hope 2009 is a better year for all. Happy New Year.
I pasted the story below.
black-eyed peas = coins
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FROM:
http://www.timesofacadiana.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081231/NEWS01/81230012
Restaurant: Don't forget tradition
by CHeré Coen
Start the New Year right with a dish of traditional
Southern black-eyed peas, mustard greens, cabbage
and cornbread. Legend has it that the greens
correspond to financial enrichment and black-eyed
peas resemble coins, thus the eating of both
attracts prosperity.
"Starting in the Carolinas but extending throughout
the South, Hoppin' John and greens became traditional
New Year's fare, black-eyed peas bringing luck and
the rice (which swelled in the cooking) and greens
(like money) bringing prosperity," writes Andrew
F. Smith in the Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and
Drink in America.
"Black-eyed peas were eaten as an integral part of
soups and stews and often served over rice in the
manner of gumbo and the popular Hoppin' John,"
writes Sherrel Jones, food columnist of the
Oklahoman newspaper. "Leafy greens, including
mustard, cabbage, spinach, kale and especially
collards, were served along with the peas
(symbolizing round coins) and said to attract
folding money."
"Author Jessica Harris, a scholar of African
culture, tells about men tucking black-eyed peas
into their wallets to attract prosperity, giving
further indication of the pea and prosperity
connection that has been instilled in our culture,
particularly in the South," Jones added.
Some claim that 365 black-eyed peas should be
eaten on New Year's Day in order to have good
luck every day of the year. A good friend of the
family used to hand out black-eyed pea Hoppin'
John mixtures - with Creole seasoning, of
course - and insist that we cook up and eat the
dish as the first meal on New Year's Day in order
to receive the good luck.
The following are recipes from Cooking Light
Annual Recipes 2009 (Oxmoor House, $34.95) that
incorporates the good-luck peas as well as some
seasonal duck, a perfect dish for New Year's Eve
or night, and some "spirited" peas from Talk
About Good II, one of the many fabulous cookbooks
by the Junior League of Lafayette.
Duck and Black-Eyed
Pea Cassoulet
Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2009
6 slices applewood-smoked bacon, chopped
6 (10-ounce) duck leg quarters, skinned
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1/4 cup chopped garlic (about 7 cloves)
1 1/2 cup chopped cremini
mushrooms
1 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
6 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
6 cups frozen black-eyed peas, thawed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, divided
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided
Cook bacon in a large, deep Dutch oven over medium
heat until crisp. Remove bacon, reserving 3
tablespoons dripping in pan; set bacon aside.
Increase heat to medium-high.
Sprinkle duck with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon
pepper. Add half of duck legs to drippings in pan;
cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove
from pan.
Repeat procedure with remaining duck. Add onion and
garlic to pan; sauté 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/2
teaspoon pepper, mushrooms, celery and carrot. Cover,
reduce heat to low, and cook 20 minutes or until
very tender, stirring occasionally.
Stir in broth, peas, 1 tablespoon thyme, and 1
tablespoon parsley. Return duck and accumulated juices
to pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 1
hour and 20 minutes or until duck is tender, slightly
mashing beans occasionally with a fork or potato
masher. Remove duck from pan; cool slightly. Remove
meat from bones; shred. Discard bones. Return meat
to pan. Simmer 20 minutes or until mixture is thick,
stirring occasionally. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon
thyme and remaining 1 tablespoon parsley. Sprinkle
with bacon.
Spirited Black-Eyed Peas
Talk About Good II
1 pound dried black-eyed peas
1 can beer
1/2 pound cubed salt pork
1 small can Snap-E Tom Tomato and n Chili Cocktail
Fresh ground black pepper
1 large chopped onion
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
Tabasco to taste
Soak peas overnight in beer. Do not drain. Add salt
pork, Snap-E Tom, black pepper, salt, chopped onion,
Worcestershire sauce and dry mustard. Cook over low
heat covered for 1 1/2 hours. Keep adding beer as
needed. Add dash or two of Tabasco to taste. Never
add water. Serves 6-8.
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