Spicy Black-Eyed Pea & Collard Green Salad

It is no secret that many African American households usher in the New Year with traditional dishes like Hoppin' John (black-eyed peas are said to bring good luck), but the humble legume has had a significant role in the diets of African Americans, and it is worth exploring how and why.

Black-eyed peas (aka cowpeas) have a long and rich history in African societies; their presence in the African American diet is just one aspect of this long-standing relationship. They are slow-cooked with aromatics like garlic, onions and sometimes the occasional smoked ham hock or turkey neck; mashed, breaded and formed into fritters for frying; served as a salad; and milled into flour to prepare porridges.

As enslaved Africans were brought to the U.S. and forced to work the land, they adapted their cultural foods to fit the limited resources they had access to. They cultivated crops on small plots of land to supplement their meager diets. Legumes such as black-eyed peas were one of those crops—and they quickly became a staple in their diet.

Rich in protein and fiber, legumes helped to keep enslaved African Americans and their families healthy. They were also cheap and readily available, making it possible for them to be used in a wide variety of dishes. As African Americans have faced systemic oppression and limited access to resources throughout U.S. history, the cuisine that has emerged from this community reflects the struggle for survival and celebration of our history and culture.

My grandmother and mother, who hailed from the Black Belt of Central Alabama and moved north during the Great Migration in the late 1940s, both grew black-eyed peas in small garden plots along with tomatoes and collard greens. Cooked up as Hoppin' John or in a cold salad, black-eyed peas were always a staple at family gatherings.

Legumes are still an important part of the long and enduring African American culinary tradition. Chefs (like me!) celebrate the history and relationship of legumes throughout the diaspora by reimagining how we cook with black-eyed peas. My grandmother was a traditionalist; she would grow them in her backyard yearly and dry them for storage. Then she would soak the dried beans overnight and slow-cook them to serve with Sunday dinner after church.

When I started to show a twinkle of interest in cooking in my early youth, my mother would tell me to always smell and taste my food throughout the process, and to look for new and creative ways to use black-eyed peas. She continues to be a source of inspiration to me as I look toward fresh, healthy ways to incorporate them into my dishes like this salad. The briny preserved lemon balances the spicy peri-peri sauce and harissa for a different flavor twist on a dish featuring black-eyed peas and collard greens.

The use of legumes in African American cuisine is a testament to the resilience and resourcefulness of a people who have been through some of the darkest times in American history. Black-eyed peas not only kept them nourished but also provided a source of comfort and a reminder of our proud history. Celebrating the role of black-eyed peas in African American cuisine is not just a celebration of tasty food, but a celebration of the resilience and ingenuity of a community that has turned limited resources into rich culinary traditions.