Happy Black Eyed Peas

Many Southern mommas staunchly insist that one’s luck for the year is directly tied to the amount of black-eyed peas one eats on New Year’s Day. No excuse is good enough to not eat your peas. Tradition dates back to 500 A.D. when black-eyed peas were eaten for luck in the Jewish new year celebration. They are also a staple in West African cuisine, which carried over and pervaded southern culture in America.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, small diced
• 1 large bell pepper (or 1 ½ cup mixed color bell), small dice
• 1 T butter
• 2 cups white wine
• 2 small bay leaves
• 16-ounce bag of black-eyed peas
• 3 quarts of water, divided
• 1 tablespoon More Than Gourmet brand Glace de Viande Gold Classic Reduced Brown Stock
• 6-ounce package of lean country ham (not sweet ham)
• 2 tablespoons Dude Food Fire Happy Spice or other all-purpose seasoning salt
• 2 teaspoons sea salt

Directions:

• Put oil in Dutch oven pot and put temperature on medium high heat.
• Add onions and stir.
• Add bell peppers, then let sizzle for 10 seconds.
• Melt in butter and saute for 2 minutes to cook out the excess water.
• Pour in wine and add bay leaves. Bring to boil.
• Add black eyed peas and cover.
• Stir well then stir every minute or so until wine has almost cooked out dry.
• Pour in 2 quarts of water.
• Bring to boil and reduce heat to low to simmer.
• Add the brown stock and stir in to melt. Simmer for a few minutes, then cover and continue to simmer for 45 minutes on low.
• Add in chopped country ham and Dude Food Fire Happy Spice all-purpose seasoning salt.
• Stir, then add one more quart of water. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook for 10-15 minutes.
• Taste and add 1-2 teaspoons of salt as needed.
• Remove from heat, cover, and let it sit for 20-30 minutes to meld flavors.
• Serve with cornbread and enjoy

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