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- Tender braised collard greens and sweet, creamy black-eyed peas are a natural pairing and make for a flavorful, texturally varied side dish.
- Instead of using smoked meat, the dish gets a smoky, savory note from an unexpected (and vegetarian) addition: canned chipotles in adobo.
- This recipe saves time by using canned black-eyed peas instead of cooking them from dry.
For this cozy side, Bobby Flay marries two Southern classics: collard greens and black-eyed peas. But there’s one nontraditional ingredient that adds excellent flavor: Flay adds smokiness not with the traditional smoked turkey or ham hock, but with tinned chipotles in adobo. Finishing with a splash of vinegar helps balance out the bitterness of the greens and adds complexity to the sweetly earthy beans.
Why is this dish served on New Year’s Day?
Black-eyed peas and collard greens are present in kitchens throughout the South on New Year’s Day. The practice began among enslaved people and Black Southerners and spread to become a regional tradition. Though typically served in separate dishes, both ingredients are said to bring luck and prosperity for the year ahead. As one saying goes, “Peas for pennies, greens for dollars, and cornbread for gold” — indeed, these beans and greens almost demand to be paired with a classic Southern cornbread.
Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen
- For a vegan or vegetarian version, use your favorite vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock.
- Flay uses canned black-eyed peas for convenience, but feel free to cook your own ahead of time for a more homemade touch.
