The holidays seem to come at light speed this time of year. That makes meal planning essential, lest you end up living on egg nog, Christmas cookies and Chinese takeout.
The New Year’s Day menu is particularly worth careful planning, if for nothing else but for the fact that many restaurants will remain closed on New Year’s Day — and it’s hard to be particularly creative in the kitchen after a night of too much champagne.
(Wondering what independent restaurants are open? Check out today’s Asheville Scene for a list, also available online at www.ashevillescene.com.)
Superstitions remain strong around what foods you should eat for New Year’s Day, particularly in the American South. Here, black-eyed peas are typically consumed for wealth in the New Year, presumably because the little legumes look like coins.
But Southern lore has it that there’s much more to it than that.
Black-eyed peas were once considered animal fodder by northerners. During Gen. William T. Sherman’s march to the sea during the Civil War, Northern troops attempted to destroy as many of the Southerners’ crops as possible in an attempt to leave them high and dry.
But they didn’t waste any time on setting fire to the peas, since they weren’t considered food to the Yankees anyway. The peas helped many a Southerner through the winter, and have been symbolic of a fresh start ever since.
Whatever the case, black-eyed peas are high in potassium and iron and make a healthy start for a fresh year. William Dissen, owner of The Market Place in downtown Asheville, has a vegetarian version of black-eyed pea chili, which he’s shared here. It’s a restorative one-pot meal that offers recovery following the chef’s New Year’s Eve plans, which involve more work than play.
The Market Place hosts a New Year’s Eve celebration until 2 a.m. annually, something Dissen calls the “biggest party and celebration of the year.” That’s one of the main reasons he chooses to celebrate New Year’s Day on a quiet note, with a hike with his wife, Jenny, followed by a small meal.
While the chili recipe here eschews the meat — and black-eyed peas offer plenty of iron and protein, anyway — the collards have a touch of pork in the form of a ham hock. Pork, too, is considered a good-luck food, mainly because having a spare pig around connotes riches. How times have changed.
Speaking of riches, greens, resembling folded bills, are a typical New Year’s Day food eaten for wealth. The bonus is that greens are great for a post-celebration meal anyway, as many greens are considered hangover cures.
Collard greens should do the trick just fine. But Brussels sprouts, which are really just tiny cabbages, take all the credit for nursing post-partiers back to health. The little sprouts that everyone loves to hate are packed with glucosinate, which helps your body ward off the symptoms of an unscrupulous New Years Eve.
Try them sliced thinly and dressed in a rich buttermilk-honey dressing, provided by Posana Cafe’s Peter Pollay, below.
Posana Cafe is at 1 Biltmore Ave. The Market Place is on 20 Wall St.
BROWN ALE BRAISED COLLARD GREENS
Courtesy of The Market Place. Makes 4-6 portions.
4 bunches collard greens, stemmed, washed, large chiffonade (slice)
1/2 cup bacon, cut into small pieces
1 cup red onion, small dice
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon red pepper flake
3 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 cups Brown Ale
6 cups vegetable stock (or water)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1 smoked ham hock
2 tablespoons hot sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
In a medium pot, render bacon until almost crispy. Add onions and sweat until tender. Stir in garlic and saute until aromatic.
Add collard greens and stir to incorporate ingredients. Add ham hocks. Add brown ale, stock, vinegar, hot sauce, brown sugar and butter.
Bring cooking liquid to a simmer and cover pot with a tight-fitting lid. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes, or until tender. Stir from time to time. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Enjoy immediately, or place cooked collards in a deep pan and place in the refrigerator to stop the cooking process.
To reheat, place collards in a pan and add some pot likker.
BLACK EYED PEA CHILI
Courtesy of The Market Place. Makes 4 large servings.
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups onions, small dice
1 cup carrots, peeled, small dice
2 yellow bell pepper, small dice
1 jalapeño, seeded and small dice
6 cloves garlic, minced
4 ounces of lager beer
2 fresh tomatoes, pureed
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 bay leaves
1-2 quarts cooked black eyed peas
1 tablespoon of sugar or honey
Salt and pepper to taste
In a medium pot, heat olive oil and sauté onions and carrots until tender, then stir in the yellow bell pepper and cook for 1 minute.
Stir in the garlic and jalapeno, and sauté until aromatic. Deglaze the pan with the beer and add the black beans and tomato puree and bring to a simmer. Stir in the remaining ingredients and turn the heat down to a low simmer.
Cook for 20-30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Taste and re-season as necessary. Serve with lime wedges, shredded cheddar, sliced scallions, chopped cilantro and sour cream.
HONEY-
BUTTERMILK
DRESSING
Courtesy of Posana Cafe.
2 cups buttermilk
2 cups honey
1 cup white wine vinegar
Salt and white pepper to taste
1 cup olive oil, blended with 2 cups canola oil
Place everything but oil in the blender on medium-low speed. Slowly drizzle in blended oil until incorporated.
BRUSSELS
SPROUTS SALAD
Courtesy of Posana Cafe.
1 pound Brussels sprouts
3 ounces crumbled feta cheese
3 ounces toasted walnuts
1 Pink Lady apple, sliced
4 ounces honey buttermilk dressing (see recipe)
Salt and pepper to taste
Trim Brussels sprouts and cut in half, lengthwise. Place Brussels sprout cut side down on cutting board and slice crosswise as thinly as possible.
Dress shaved Brussels with honey buttermilk dressing and salt and mix in by hand, being sure to coat all of the Brussels. Add feta, apple, walnuts and toss to coat. Adjust seasoning.
