Sausage, Collard Greens and Black Eyed Pea Stew

MelandBoysKitchen

Happy New Year!  

I hope you had wonderful holiday season with your family and friends.  We sure enjoyed ourselves at my house, but all good things must come to an end and today my boys went back to school.  Sad, but also kind of nice to be back on a schedule again.  We have all our Christmas decor packed away for next year and the house almost put back together.  

Now we are moving on to our new year. I love to make New Year Resolutions and always give myself a week to think and plan before I start.  I have high hopes for 2017 and have come up with some meaningful goals to help me grow as person and reach higher.  I am excited to work hard, get organized and have a prosperous and happy year.  Since I moved here to the South, we have adopted the New Years tradition of eating collard greens and black eyed peas for good luck in the coming year, thus this recipe for Sausage, Collard Greens and Black Eyed Pea Stew.  It is said that these two Southern classics all but guarantee a prosperous year.  The black eyed peas, since they swell when cooked, symbolize prosperity; the greens symbolize money; the pork, because pigs root forward when foraging, represents positive motion. Cornbread, which represents gold, also often accompanies this meal.  My favorite Buttermilk Cornbread recipe is here and is the perfect accompaniment for this soup.

I read in my Southern Living magazine that according to legend, this New Year’s Day tradition dates back to the Civil War, when Union troops pillaged the land, leaving behind only black-eyed peas and greens because of the belief that they were only good for animal food. Southerners considered themselves lucky to be left with food so rich in nutrients, these were the humble foods that enabled them to survive. Details of stories differ, but each celebrates a communion of family and friends bound by grateful hearts and renewed hope for good things yet to come.

I had never had collard greens before I moved to the South, which is a shame, because they are so good!  I love them and always order them as a side when we go out to dinner.  They are a powerhouse of nutrition and don’t get soggy like spinach or have a bitter taste like Kale sometimes can.  This soup is so delicious and very easy to make.  I make it in about 20 minutes on the stovetop but it is a great recipe for the crockpot too, so I will give directions for both.  Also, if you would prefer, you can use a small pasta like datalink (small cut tubes) instead of the black eyed peas.  Either way is fantastic!  I like to add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes to my bowl, for an extra kick.  Yum!  Add this wonderful Sausage, Collard Greens and Black Eyed Pea Stew to your menu this month to welcome in a prosperous and lucky New Year for you and your family!  xoxo

Sausage, Collard Greens and Black Eyed Pea Stew

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

• Author: Melanie www.melandboyskitchen.com

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Warm, comforting, and packed with flavor, this sausage, collard greens, and black-eyed pea soup is the perfect dish to satisfy your cravings for a hearty and wholesome meal.

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 pound of mild ground sausage or links (casings removed)
• 1 cup chopped leek or onion
• 4 cups unsalted chicken stock
• 8 ounces chopped fresh collard greens
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic (2–3 garlic cloves)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoons black pepper
• 2 cups cooked black eyed peas(*or cooked datalink pasta)
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

Stove Top directions:

1. Cook sausage in a large skillet over medium high heat, stirring to break apart with a wooden spoon, until just beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Add leek (or onion) and cook until sausage is browned and leek (or onion) begins to soften, about 5 minutes.
2. Add stock, collards, garlic, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook on medium for about 15-20 minutes to soften vegetables. Stir in the cooked black eyed peas (or cooked pasta) and heavy cream just before serving.

Crockpot Directions:

1. Cook sausage in a large skillet over medium high heat, stirring to break apart with a wooden spoon, until just beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Add leek (or onion) and cook until sausage is browned and leek (or onion) begins to soften, about 5 minutes.
2. Add sausage, chopped leek (or onion) and pan drippings to a crockpot. Add the stock, collards, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook on LOW until vegetables are softened and sausage is cooked through, about 4 hours. Stir in cooked black eyed peas (or cooked pasta) and heavy cream just before serving.