Last year, after the terrorist attack on Bourbon Street, I needed some comfort. I found it in a very unexpected place — a meal I dreaded growing up. Food of often has tradition and meaning in cultures around the world. New Orleans is no different. Foods that are seasonal, like oysters and crawfish, include a ritual around the consumption. King Cake includes curses and legends.

On New Years Day, every year, my mom insisted that we eat cabbage and black eyed peas. Cabbage for money and black eyed peas for luck or health. I did not enjoy most meals over rice as a child. I’m still not sure exactly why. Maybe frequency was a factor? Boiled cabbage, slimy and salty, is still on my Do Not Like list. She would spoon a little on our plates, just a taste, so we didn’t break the tradition, while we mostly ate other delicious things like fried back strap.

As an adult, I discovered that I actually do like cabbage and black eyed peas, even over rice, just cooked quite differently. I spent a year in China after I graduated from college, and that year was formative. The constant rice was a an odd reminder of home. Almost 20 years later, I still incorporate Chinese flavors into comfort food because that is a part of my comfort tradition.

This is my mildly Chinese cabbage stir fry recipe and a simple pressure cooker black eyed peas recipe, both adopted from the genius minds of others for my personal palate. Happy New Year! I hope your 2026 is everything you want.

Cabbage and Black Eyed Peas

The traditional January 1 meal for New Orleanians updated with flavors from around the world

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

Cabbage

• 2-3 slices Bacon
• 5 Cabbage leaves
• 4 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 inch Ginger, minced
• 4 Chilis, sliced
• 3 Green onions, sliced Separate white and green parts
• 1 tbs Soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Sugar
• 1/2 tbsp Sesame oil

Black Eyed Peas

• 1-2 slices Bacon, diced
• 1 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 Small onion, chopped
• 2 Celery rib, diced
• 2 Carrots, chopped
• 1 Bell pepper, diced
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1 tsp Dried thyme
• 3 tsp Paprika
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 Chili, diced
• 3.5 cups Broth of choice
• 2 tsp Balsamic vinegar
• 1.25 cups Black eyed peas

Method

 

Black Eyed Peas

1. Rinse and sort black eyed peas.
2. Turn pressure cooker on saute and cook bacon.
3. Remove bacon and add oil to the rendered bacon fat. Add onion, carrots, celery, and bell pepper and saute until the onion is translucent.
4. Add bay leaves, thyme, paprika, pepper, and salt. Stir to combine.
5. Add garlic and jalapeño. Cook until fragrant.
6. Add broth, balsamic vinegar, bacon, and black eyed peas. Stir to combine.
7. Cancel saute. Place lid, set steam release to sealing. Pressure cook for 17 minutes on high.
8. When cycle is complete, let sit for 15 minutes on natural release. Then, turn steam release to vent.
9. Discard bay leaves from black eyed peas.

Cabbage

1. While black eyed peas are cooking, prepare cabbage. Heat pan and cook bacon. Remove bacon to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
2. Add garlic, ginger, white part of green onions, and chilis. Fry until aromatic.
3. Add cabage and stir. Then add soy sauce, salt, and sugar. Mix in sesame oil, cooked bacon, and green part of green onion.
4. Serve over rice.