We always have black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day.  If you want any luck in the coming year, you better have some.  The more you eat, the luckier you’ll be.  I never knew why these would make or break the whole year.  I figured it was how my family used the leftover Christmas ham hock, and that luck business was a way to convince us to eat it.  While that was probably the case, it’s also a Southern tradition going back to the Civil War.  The black-eyed peas represent coins (luck), and the greens represent cash (wealth).  
I’m only a little superstitious, but I think it’s a good idea to eat a big mess of black-eyed peas and collard greens on New Year’s even if you’re not at all.  It’s a fresh start.  It’s also the time of year when the collards are really going off.  The greens are traditionally simmered, but I sauté them so they stay bright green and al dente.  The “vegetarian” version of this Southern dish is when the cook hides the ham hock at the end, but I have a true vegetarian option here that still has lots of smoky flavor.  I hope this starts your year off right!  Happy 2016!

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