Hawg Wild Black-Eyed Peas

This is my own variation on the traditional New Year’s meal, but really takes it up a notch. I usually end up making it a lot each winter. If word gets out to friends that I’m making this, I don’t have leftovers. Serve with corn bread. I sometimes use some of the hog jowl instead of bacon. Slice it thin and then chop into small pieces, and just leave it in the pan while cooking the Trinity (onion, celery, and bell pepper).

Step: 1

Place black-eyed peas into a large bowl and cover with several inches of cool water; soak 8 hours to overnight. Drain and rinse.

Step: 2

Place black-eyed peas into a large pot and fill with water 1/2-inch above the peas; bring to a simmer. Add pork jowl, tasso ham, 1 chopped onion, 1 stalk celery, 2 cloves minced garlic, bay leaves, parsley, basil, and Worcestershire sauce; cook at a simmer until peas are tender, 2 to 3 hours.

Step: 3

Remove and discard pork jowl, celery stalk, and bay leaves from the pea mixture.

Step: 4

Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain bacon slices on paper towels, leaving 2 to 3 tablespoons bacon drippings in the skillet. Crumble bacon when cooled.

Step: 5

Cook and stir 2 cups onion, 2 cups celery, green bell pepper, and 3 cloves garlic in the hot bacon drippings over medium heat until onion is tender, about 10 minutes.

Step: 6

Mix onion mixture, tomatoes with green chiles, bacon, and andouille sausage into pea mixture. Season with sugar, salt, and pepper. Simmer pea mixture until flavors have blended, 1 1/2 hours.

Per Serving: 712 calories; protein 28.6g; carbohydrates 42.2g; fat 48g; cholesterol 81.4mg; sodium 947.2mg.

One of most clear way to choose a side dish is to look at your main dish (pasta, chicken, seared tofu) and pick something different. When you’re cooking pasta, go for a simple healthy dish . Making steak? Go for something light. If you’re making stir-fry with rice, it must not a good idea to also make a rice salad.

This also can make to cooking process . You don’t want to overcommit your oven by scheduling three dishes at once in there, or be juggling four pans on the stovetop . But often you can make a dish do more often .