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Black eyed peas

Family holiday tradition: eat these on new year’s day.

Short on time? See also quick version.

Ingredients

• 1lb bacon, chopped
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 3-6 cloves garlic, chopped
• one jalapeño, seeds removed, chopped
• about 1 cup dried black eyed peas, soaked overnight and drained
• bay leaves

Directions

1. Put a heavy cast iron dutch oven over medium-low heat, and add the chopped bacon. Let cook until most of the fat has rendered out.
2. Add chopped onion, garlic, and jalapeño to the bacon and fat. Sauté until the onion is translucent and the jalapeño starts to break up.
3. Add a little water and stir, to dissolve and scrape up any fond that has formed.
4. Add the soaked black-eyed peas and enough water to cover them by an inch or so. Add a few bay leaves.
5. Bring the whole thing to a boil, then reduce to a bare simmer for about 40 minutes.
6. Try a bean to see if they’re done, it should have an intact but easily burst skin, and it should be possible to crush it on the roof of the mouth with the tongue, with a creamy consistency inside. Continue to simmer until this is reached. Discard the bay leaves.
7. If there’s a little too much liquid left, remove the lid and turn the heat up to high to boil it off. Bear in mind that the beans will absorb some liquid, so it’s not necessary to cook all the liquid away.
8. Serve hot with rice and greens, or just by themselves with a spicy relish.