do it clean

new year's food: hoppin' john, a traditional southern united states rice and beans dish, often eaten on new year's day, as it is thought to bring good luck and prosperity. now who wouldn't want a little of that? there are two main ingredients: black eyed peas (or field peas) and rice, often cooked together, but sometimes just mixed together or served side by side. also served alongside are cooked greens--generally collard or turnip greens, but also kale and chard (i used swiss red chard), because the greens supposedly add wealth as they are the colour of money. ah, if only that were true. many recipes call for bacon, ham, or fatback, but after all the excess of holiday eating, i just wanted to do it clean, with all the components cooked separately, and assembled on the plate. i soaked the bean overnight and cooked them according to the package, along with some onion, garlic and bay leaf. the rice was steamed and the chard sautéed with more onion, garlic, and a little bit of chili pepper. well, maybe a little more than that.

good luck, prosperity, and a numb tongue. it should be a good year.