I can vividly remember eating black-eyed peas for the first time, sitting down at a long table in the house where I grew up in Louisiana. Usually, it's hard to date such an early, hazy childhood recollection. I certainly couldn't tell you what year it was, but I'm confident that it was on New Year's Day.

That's because my mother was strict about the culinary tradition of eating black-eyed peas and greens for the new year. The symbolism is fairly simple. The black-eyed peas are meant to represent luck and the cooked greens represent money. Eating both on New Year's Day is a way to make sure you'll have good luck and make money that year.

Curious about the history behind this meal? The James Beard Award winning author Adrian Miller wrote a nice feature about it a few years ago.

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As my mother explained it to me so many years ago, you only have to eat one pea and one green to secure your luck and money for the year. I've tried in the past to eat heaps of peas and greens, hoping for even more luck and money that year. In my experience, it doesn't really work that way. When it tastes this good, though, why not?

Recipe

Black-Eyed Peas on New Year's Day

• 1 ham hock
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 pound of dried black-eyed peas

Soak black-eyed peas in cold water before you go to bed on New Year's Eve.

In a heavy, lidded pot, cover the ham hock with water and bring to boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to simmer and cover with the lid.

After an hour, open the lid and add in the drained, soaked peas and onion. Bring back to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cover again.

After about 30 minutes, remove the ham hock and let cool on a cutting board. While the ham hock is cooling, season to taste with salt and add a little water if necessary.

Once the hock is cooled, dice the smoked skin into small pieces and shred the meat. Return the skin and shredded meat to the pot.

Best served with collard greens, cornbread, and your favorite hot sauce. (I prefer Crystal.)

Do you have a New Year's Day culinary tradition? Share it in the comments.