Ham Hocks and Black-Eyed Peas with Cornbread
Many a little child of the South has been told, "You will earn a dollar for every black-eyed pea you eat on New Year's Day." I think hard times on the farm of the Thirties gave birth gave birth to the superstition. By New Year's Day, all that may have been left to eat was dried black-eyed peas, ham hocks, flour, corn meal, eggs and buttermilk. I do not know this for sure; but I can certainly imagine my grandfathers spinning a yarn of promised riches to entice their children to eat whatever was available. I've also recently read that the peas symbolize copper coins and that another Southern tradition was to serve this with "greens" which represent "greenbacks". Check out Posole (Hominy) Stew for a similar Mexican New Year's Day tradition.
The recipe that follows, using dried peas, is as close to what was served by my ancestors as modern day supermarkets will allow. I have added some directions to reduce the amount of fat in the original recipe.
You may reduce the fat content even more by using turkey ham rather than ham hocks, but the flavor will be significantly altered. You may eliminate the ham altogether. (In the leanest of years my aunts and uncles may not have had the luxury of ham hocks on the table.) If you add rice, you have the Southern dish called "Hoppin' John". The addition of cornbread or rice to legumes, such as black-eyes peas, makes this dish a complete protein, and, a tasty vegetarian offering when the meat is eliminated.
F Read all directions carefully before you begin. |
Start preparation a day ahead or early in the morning before serving.
To make stock, peel
2 yellow medium onions
Reserve onion "meat". Place peeling in large soup pot. Add
Meat cutters now appear to be cutting ham hocks from the extreme lower end of the shank with less meat than in the4 to 4 ½ pounds ham hocks or shanks
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past. Lately we been buying the larger ham shanks which have more meat on them.
Cover ham hocks/shanks with water. Put lid on pot. Bring to a boil on high heat. Reduce heat. Cook at a low boil (just above simmer) for at least one hour.
Remove ham hocks from stock and save. Discard onion peel. Cool stock and skim off all fat. Put in the freezer to speed the process. Reserve
2 quarts stock
Dice reserved onion "meat" and add to stock with ham hocks in large soup pot. Add
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 pound dried black-eyed peas
1 cup each, chopped green peppers and celery, optional
½ chopped parsley, optional
Bring to boil and reduce to simmer. Stir about every ½ hour. Cook until black-eyed peas are tender, about 2 ½ to 3 hours.
Add water as needed.
Variations:
You may use fresh, frozen or canned black-eyed peas. This will shorten the cooking time to about 45 minutes to one hour. Cook long enough for flavor of ham hocks to meld with peas. Serve with cornbread. Recipe follows.
| Cornbread Baking Hints This is how it should look when prepared and cooked correctly. |
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You may cook cornbread in large pie, cake or muffin tins. However, the following method makes a traditional thick, brown crust. Place a 10 inch cast iron skillet in oven while it is preheating. When skillet is hot pour a small amount of vegetable oil (1-2 tablespoons) into skillet and "swirl" to coat evenly. Use a pastry brush or paper towel to assist in spreading oil evenly over bottom and sides of skillet. Or use reduced calorie, low fat cooking spray. Careful, the skillet is hot! Use a thick pot holder. When batter is prepared, pour evenly over surface of pan.
The Eleventh Commandment! Do not use cornbread mixes which include yeast or cake batter which makes the bread rise more than about 2 inches in the center. This is meant to be a fairly dense bread.
Batter Recipe
Preheat oven to 400°.
Combine in large mixing bowl and mix well
1 cup yellow corn meal
1 cup flour, either white all purpose or whole wheat pastry
¼ cup sugar (do not omit for proper browning)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt (can be reduced, but will not rise as much)
Create a shallow "well" in center of dry ingredients and add
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
Stir or "whip" oil and egg together within the well using a fork. Blend all ingredients with a fork or or large spoon in a circular motion until well mixed.
Add
1 cup milk
Stir all dry ingredients are moist. Do not over stir. Mixture should still be lumpy. (Denis ignores this standard quick bread rule and his turns out beautifully.) Pour batter into oiled, heated skillet. Spread evenly with a fork, if necessary, to ensure the entire surface of the pan is evenly covered.
Bake for approximately 20 to 25 minutes until done--browned on top. Cut with knife into eight wedges. Serve with butter or margarine.
End Note:
I always buy buttermilk when planning to make cornbread. Nothing is better than a big glass of leftover, crumbled cornbread floating in cold buttermilk for breakfast the next morning. Okay, it's a Texas thing from my past. On the farm my grandparents, parents and their siblings would have enjoyed this for "supper" with a bowl of beans after a long day of farm duties.