New Year's Day Good Luck Foods

[Aurora]

Well, today I'm preparing a batch of my own version of Hoppin John which include Black Eyed Peas for good luck. In the southern U.S. Black Eyed Peas have long been associated with good fortune.

There are lots of traditions, superstitions, or whatever you wish to call them regarding "Good Luck" foods. What are some of your's?

 

[Andy M.]

I made hoppin' john for the first time yeaterday. We're having it for lunch. What is the texture of the finished dish supposed to be? Should it be dry like white rice or in a sauce such as baked beans or risotto?

 

[Aurora]

I believe that traditional Hoppin John is rather dry like white rice or dishes such as "chicken and rice" or fried rice.

I have never had it prepared by a true southern chef so I don't have any first hand perspective. My own preference is a creamy consistency so I add black beans, stewed tomatoes and barley so that the barley starch and soluable fiber gives it a smooth and creamy texture.

I don't think that the consistency is the important part of the dish, it's the good luck that you get from eating Black Eyed Peas!

 

[texasgirl]

I couldn't care less for the saying of good luck from black eyed peas. I've eaten them year after year and it hasn't given me a bit of luck. This year, I'm not making any, let's see what happens.

 

[Uncle Bob]

Well folks... I would get recipe specific...but there is no point.
For every "southerner" there are at least that many recipes...
Every family has "their way" and of course it is "the best way"

I have eaten it this way...black-eyed peas cooked very done...with some thickness to the liquid but still with many of whole peas intact. Not to thick..not to thin...Served OVER white rice...Then again with the cooked rice MIXED IN with the peas to serve...Either way you wind up with a pea/rice mixture on the fork/spoon. Not unlike a red bean & rice dish.
In fact I personally don't care that much for Hoppin-John. I prefer my black-eyes just plain with cornbread etc. I save the bean/rice deal for Red beans and rice which is a whole new ball game. IMO Hoppin-John should not be a "clump" of goo on your plate like... say potato salad....nor should it be a soup.
Somewhere in there is a happy medium...I hope this helps!

 

[Barbara L]

I couldn't care less for the saying of good luck from black eyed peas. I've eaten them year after year and it hasn't given me a bit of luck. This year, I'm not making any, let's see what happens.

LOL I didn't make them this year either. Maybe we're onto something!

Barbara

 

[YT2095]

well according to the free calendar I got last night with my take-away, 2007 is the Chinese year of the Boar/Pig so I`m not sure if it`s a Good or Bad thing to be eating this tonight?

I`ll soon let you know

 

[BreezyCooking]

I never liked Black-Eyed peas until out of curiousity I bought a bag of fresh ones that the supermarket produce departments around here carry only at this time of year. I followed the recipe on the back of the bag, using a hunk of Virginia country ham (I believe it was a jowl piece), & it was absolutely delicious. Had it for lunch several times during the week. The liquidj/texture was what you'd see in most bean salads - "moist", but not gluey/gloppy or soupy.

As far as the traditional "luck" thing goes, my relatives would never let a New Year's go by without everyone having at least a spoonful of Lentil soup. Husband hates the stuff, so I just had a bowlful myself for lunch yesterday - not that I'm expecting it to do much for me (except increase my fiber intake - lol!!).

For today, if I manage to get around to it, I'm hoping to put together my Cassoulet, which is white-bean based. Whether those beans are lucky enough - again, who knows - but Cassoulet is another New Year's tradition with us.

 

[kimbaby]

we had greens and black eyed peas for the "money"and :luck" lol...

 

[PytnPlace]

I made hoppin' john for the first time yeaterday. We're having it for lunch. What is the texture of the finished dish supposed to be? Should it be dry like white rice or in a sauce such as baked beans or risotto?

I've been making Hoppin John for years now based on a recipe in JOY, and yes the texture is dry, more like rice.

 

[licia]

I hadn't heard the term "hopping john" until I was grown up. We always just called it blackeyed peas and rice. I only remember having it once a year - on New Year's day. They were cooked separately - the rice so that the grains don't stick together and the peas with a bit of the soupy mixture. We served the peas over the rice and topped with either green onions or chopped sweet onions and always with buttermilk cornbread. My mom used hog jowls to season the peas, but I use cubes of ham. Also we serve cole slaw instead of greens, but many people serve collard greens or some other type. I certainly don't believe it brings luck - one way or the other, but my paternal grandmother would have fought me on that. She has some other beliefs about New Year's Day. She wouldn't do laundry and there was something about the first man to enter your door, but I don't remember what that was...probably just as well.

 

[Andy M.]

The hoppin' john I made was pretty good - according to me. I don't know what an expert would say about it.

I cooked the peas and trinity with a ham bone and chicken stock. When the peas were almost done, I added the rice and cooked it until the rice was done. It turned out like a thick risotto. The peas and rice were surrounded by a creamy sauce created by the starches and stock.

I won't make it again before next year. I make other bean dishes I like better.

 

[Claire]

I do know that for Asian new years one thing to eat is long noodles (I believe symbolizing long life). I don't know when it is this year. This is the first year in ages that I didn't eat black eyed peas. My southern friends are falling down on the job! Tourtiere was a new years eve dish in some homes (we had it Christmas eve).

 

[velochic]

Pomegranate. It brings prosperity for the new year.

 

[Aunt Lisa's Kitchen]

Well, I've heard that eating pork brings good luck for the New Year.

My DH actually ate it this year and we're both still behind on our deadlines, but we'll see.

Happy New Year!