Monday, December 16, 2013

Black Eyed Pea and Kale Salad in Salumi Cups: A New Year's Day Good Luck Appetizer

A bite size appetizer of black eyed peas and kale salad, served in salumi cups. A terrific bite to ensure good luck in the New Year.

Black Eyed Pea and Kale Salad in Salumi Cups | Farm Fresh Feasts

Why is it considered good luck to eat black eyed peas on New Year's day?  Since I didn't learn about this tradition until I lived in the South as an adult, do Northerners/East Coasters/ Westerners/Midwesterners not have good luck ever?  What about folks in other countries?  Not everyone eats black eyed peas, you know.
Heavy questions for a busy time.  All I know is in addition to jumping into the New Year (from a stair, not a chair) I like to eat black eyed peas this time of year.  I'm good with these traditions--one's silly fun to do, and the other's tasty.
Sometimes I like to make Hoppin' John, sometimes I like to change it up a bit.  Here's a bite size appetizer way to get your New Year Good Luck, and if meat is not your thing, there's a bonus recipe below to an alternate salad/leftover remake.
Updated Note:  My mom emailed me that she knew salumi was not a typo but she didn't know what it was.  Salumi is the name for a category of dry cured meat.  Salami and prosciutto are examples of salumi.  I'm thinking pepperoni may be as well.  Learn something new?  I try to each day!
Black Eyed Pea and Kale Salad in Salumi Cups | Farm Fresh Feasts


Black Eyed Pea Salad in Salumi Cups (makes a bunch)
(Vegan?  Skip the salumi and see the Bonus Leftover Remake recipe below)

10 ounces fresh black eyed peas, rinsed
4 cups packed washed and torn kale (ribs to the composting pig so she gets money in the new year)
1 medium onion, about 2/3 cup, finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot and celery (blend from my freezer stash)
1 cup roughly chopped green bell pepper
1/4 to 1/3 cup cilantro leaves, chopped (stems to the composting pigs or the worm bin)
1 teaspoon hickory bacon-flavored salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 Tablespoons vinaigrette of your choice
large thin slices of cured meat (I used capicola) (1 per appetizer)

The night before:  place black eyed peas in a medium pot, cover with water (at least an inch over).  Bring to a gentle boil.  After 15 minutes, add kale to the pot and stir.  Continue simmering another 15 minutes until peas and kale are tender.  Drain and set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, mix the chopped veggies, cilantro, and seasonings.  Fold in the cooled black eyed peas and kale.  Chill overnight (or at least 4 hours).

When you're ready to serve:  set the bean mixture on the counter to come to room temperature.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Place a slice of meat in each muffin cup, curling the edges up as you stuff it down into the cup.  Bake for 10 minutes until the salumi is hardened into a cup shape.
Place salumi cups on a serving tray, top with a generous tablespoon of bean mixture.  Serve!

Bonus Leftover Remake:  tear any remaining salumi into strips and toss with remaining salad.  Add a cup of cooked rice, quinoa, or barley and a couple of good glugs of balsamic vinaigrette to the salad.  Stir to combine.  Keeps a few days into the New Year so that you can ensure you'll have plenty of luck!

This is shared with the Clever Chicks Blog Hop, Tasty TuesdaysWhat's Cookin' Wednesday,  From the Farm Blog Hop

Black Eyed Pea and Kale Salad in Salumi Cups | Farm Fresh Feasts


Black Eyed Pea and Kale Salad in Salumi Cups | Farm Fresh Feasts

20 comments:

  1. I've heard of this, but I absolutely always forget to eat them on New Years. Fortunately my life hasn't been full of bad luck yet :) This looks like a great way to eat them, love the meat cups.

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    1. Sherri,
      When we lived in the South it was easy to remember, because there were giant displays of black eyed peas in the produce section. Now it's just ingrained in me--like I crave Alanna's Chicken Cider Stew in the fall once the sweet potatoes and apple cider appear.
      Thanks!

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  2. We always have hoppin' john on new year's day and I love this twist on it. Delicious!!

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    1. Amy,
      Hoppin' John is a classic, and with good reason since it tastes so good to me. Of course, I'm happy to tweak the classics ;) Thanks!

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  3. Black eyed peas are definitely not part of my northern New Year's Day tradition, but I do often make soup with them now to start the new year on a good note.

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    1. Lydia,
      Oooh! Soup! That's a brilliant idea. I'm betting I can find a recipe on Soup Chick?
      Thanks!

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  4. I've lived my whole life in the midwest, and (at least in my family) our New Year's good luck food has always been pork and sauerkraut. This looks great, though. I love the salami cups!

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    1. Melissa,
      Pork and sauerkraut sounds good to me--from a food history point of view it keeps well and is available this time of year--so why not make it worth celebrating? Thanks!

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  5. That is so creative! I love how you used the capicola to make little cups.

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    1. Alyssa,
      Thanks! I was pretty proud of this one myself! I really like appetizers, and could possibly live on apps. I'd like to try!

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  6. This looks so awesome! Yeah, I have no idea how the black-eyed pea brings good luck on New Year's thing got started, even though I grew up with it. And since I hated black-eyed peas as a kid, I generally resented it, lol! This is so creative! I've definitely seen the error of my ways, I love black-eyed peas now, so I'm for sure eating them on New Year's! :)

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    1. Julie,
      I don't think I tried black eyed peas until I was an adult, but I'd bet the kid in my took some getting used to them. My kids will eat them with a sufficiently high meat to peas ration, and plenty of rice.
      Thanks!

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  7. I don't eat enough black eye peas. On the rare occasion I do, I'm always pleased too. My favorite was a black eyed pea stew I got at a South African restaurant. It came with the most delicious rice and wonderful plantains right in the stew. The flavors were incredible, and I was so happy with it, which is how this dish makes me feel. I love the colors in the blue bowl shot. I know you're skeptical, but that blue bowl is doing wonders for the food. Again.

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    1. Meghan,
      It's a funny thing, debating if I want to try and duplicate an amazing dish I've had at a restaurant. Most of the time, especially if it involves lots of spices that are not common to me--I skip it and go out to eat. I just found Ma Po Tofu sauce at the Cincinnati Asian Market, though, so that one I'm going to try here because I cannot get the amazing spicy dish from DC's Great Wall restaurant on Logan Circle--in Ohio somehow it involves peas and carrots . . . .
      I used the blue bowl for fruit soup the other day. Thought of you. Thanks!

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  8. We love black eyed peas and this looks wonderful. I am going to serve these at a reception we are hosting at work after the New Year. Thank you!

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    1. What a great use, a work function--making it ahead lets the flavors mingle, it's tasty, and it's different. Please let me know how it works for you!

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    2. I did make these for the reception, telling everyone that the kale were just "greens". My secretary is from the south, so it made her feel right at home. They were a big hit. The bacon-y flavor at the end was to die for! I also made your soy-sriracha mushrooms (with zucchini thrown in to throw off the mushroom haters). Thank you for so many great ideas!

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    3. Oh, thank you so much for taking the time to let me know how it turned out! I'm very glad.

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  9. What a great appetizer! Thanks for linking up with What's Cookin' Wednesday!

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    1. Karly,
      I think I could happily eat appetizers for my entire meal most nights. That or breakfast for dinner would totally do me.
      Thanks for hosting!

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