Soup du jour: Lucky black-eyed peas are a must for New Year's Day | Rigsby

Black-Eyed Pea Soup, full of carrots, celery, onions, and collard greens, is the epitome of a lucky New Year's Day dish.

With black-eyed peas for luck and greens, which symbolize money, you can't go wrong with this nutritious and delicious soup to welcome in the new year.

New Year's Eve: Things to do, holiday edition: Here's your New Year's Eve party planner and more

Appetizer recipe: Spread out the shrimp appetizer for your holiday happening | King

Hoppin' John: Get off on the right foot with Hoppin' John in the New Year | King

There aren't many meals that are as full of all things good for you and as tasty as this one, and with luck thrown in, well, you have hit the jackpot of comfort foods.

Sharon's tips

• You can use a slow cooker or crockpot to make this dish. Cook the onion, ham, garlic, carrots, and celery as directed. Put this and the rest of the ingredients in a slow cooker or crockpot and cook on high for four hours or low for eight hours. Do not add the collard greens until the last hour of cooking.

• You can substitute fresh kale for the collard greens.

• Leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to four days. They can also be frozen in an airtight container for several months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating in a saucepan on the stove if frozen.

• This soup can be made up to 48 hours ahead. Store in the refrigerator and heat in a saucepan on the stove. It will thicken after being refrigerated, and you may need to add additional chicken stock.

• You can substitute a ham bone or smoked turkey for the ham products.

Black-Eyed Pea Soup Recipe

Serves 8

Ingredients:

1 pound dried black-eyed peas, soaked overnight in water to rehydrate

1 cup ham, cubed, or one ham hock or ham shank

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 carrots, chopped

2 ribs celery, chopped

1 yellow onion, medium, chopped

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 pinch crushed red pepper

1 can diced tomatoes and green chilies, Rotel

8 cups chicken stock

2 cups fresh collard greens, rinsed and cut into ribbons

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

Soak the peas overnight in a large bowl filled with water. Make sure to keep the water level at least two inches over the peas while they rehydrate. After they rehydrate, drain and rinse the peas.

Add olive oil to a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, ham, ham hock, or ham shank when the oil is hot. Cook until the vegetables have softened, which should take four to five minutes. Then, add the garlic and cook for one minute.

Add the red wine vinegar, chicken stock, tomatoes and green chilies, kosher salt, and pepper and simmer covered for 30 minutes. Add the collard greens and cook uncovered for an additional 15-30 minutes, or until the peas are tender.

Serve immediately with hoecakes or cornbread.

Sharon Rigsby is the blogger behind Grits and Pinecones, a cooking and hospitality blog. Check out her recipes by visiting gritsandpinecones.com.

Never miss a story: Subscribe to the Tallahassee Democrat using the link at the top of the page.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Blacked-eyed Pea Soup meets all the New Year's Day requirements