Lucky black-eyed pea cakes

Looks like someone has made a surprise visit for dinner

There’s an old Chinese proverb that eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day will bring one luck in the new year. Oh wait, it’s a Southern thing.

Black-eyed pea cakes

• 4 cups cooked black-eyed peas
• 2 minced serrano chiles
• 6 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 red onion minced
• 1 green or red pepper minced
• 1 cup diced ham (optional)
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 to 1 cup bread crumb
• 3-4 tbsp chopped cilantro
• salt and pepper to taste

Mix garlic and serranos in a large bowl. Add peas and mash to a pulp. You can throw in the eggs at this point if it’s difficult. Once peas are mashed add eggs (if you haven’t already) ham, green pepper, onion, cilantro, salt and pepper and mix to incorporate. Add 3/4 cup bread crumbs and form into patties. Heat enough oil in a large skillet to cover the bottom f the pan and brown patties on each side, until crisp on the outside and warm inside, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Garnish with fresh pico, or hot sauce and sour cream.

Hankering for some more black-eyed pea recipes? How about black-eyed pea and ham stew? Jamie Anne over at A Dash of Domestic has this Texas Cavier. (Funny we always call it Cowboy Cavier, but we are one state over.) Judy over at The Southern Lady Cooks has some crockpot black-eyed peas or hoppin John. And check out the smokin’ hoppin’ john over at cooking-spree.