Midnight kisses, champagne toasts – these New Year’s traditions are sacred for some, but for others, the calendar change calls for certain superstitions to secure good fortune in the coming months.
In the South, that means eating black-eyed peas for good luck and collard greens for prosperity. So in honor of my husband’s heritage, I’ve created this super satisfying hummus wrapped in a blanched collard green and loaded with your favorite fillings. Before you head out to celebrate, be sure to place the peas in water to soak overnight so they’ll be ready to cook when you rise on New Year’s Day!
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups dried black-eyed peas (soak overnight at least 8 hours before cooking)
1 tsp. sea salt (add to peas after done cooking)
Hummus Ingredients:
2 ½ cups cooked black-eyed peas
¼ cup liquid from cooked peas
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 T. olive oil
Collard Wraps:
4 whole collard leaves
1 avocado sliced
1 cup shredded carrots
4 baby bell peppers, sliced
Other filling options: tomatoes, black beans, seasoned quinoa – the possibilities are endless!
Directions for cooking dried black-eyed peas:
- Soak black-eyed peas in a bowl of water or cooking pot overnight (at least 8 hours).
- In the morning, drain soaking water then rinse peas really well.
- Add peas to cooking pot along with 2 ½ cups of water until covered by more than 1” of water.
- Bring water to a boil, then turn down to summer 45 minutes to 1 hour, until peas are cooked through.
- Add 1 teaspoon of salt to cooked peas, stir thoroughly.
Directions for making hummus:
- Combine in a food processor cooked black-eyed peas, liquid from peas, cumin, garlic cloves, and oil. Blend until smooth.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Directions for making collard wraps:
- Cut long stem from collard wraps. To remove remaining rib of stem, place knife flat against collard rib (stem), slice away from yourself the portion of stem sticking up. Does not have to be perfect, makes rolling collard a little easier.
- Prepare an ice bath for collards, they will go in here after cooking.
- Bring 9 quart pot of water to a boil, add collard leaves one at a time, boil for 1 minute. Remove from boiling water and place in ice bath. Remove from ice bath and set on paper towel to dry.
- Repeat with remaining collard leaves
- To make wraps: spread ½ cup hummus onto middle of collard leaf, layer with avocado, carrots, peppers. Tuck ends of collard into center, then folder over leaf to close wrap. Flip over and cut in half before serving.
Yield: 4 wraps
Nutritional Stats (per wrap): 286 Cals; 9g Fat; 42g Carbs; 16g Fiber; 13g Sugar; 10g Protein
Vitamin A 149%; Vitamin C 530%; Calcium 8%; Iron 20%