Eating black-eyed peas augurs good luck and good fortune for the new year.

That’s what they say down South. And who am I to disagree? Though I wasn’t raised there, I’ve long been partial to serving them on New Year’s Day, often preparing them a day or two in advance.

Recipe: Black-Eyed Peas With Pork Belly and Greens

Are they beans or peas? They’re usually lumped into the bean category, though they’re actually of the Vignagenus, an Old World legume, originally cultivated in West Africa. New World beans, like kidney beans and pinto beans, belong to the Phaseolus genus and are known throughout the Americas. We bean-lovers are fond of them all.

Generally speaking, dried black-eyed peas are ready in under an hour. Some cooks prefer to soak them while others are vehemently opposed to the idea. I’ve recently been introduced to frozen black-eyed peas — a nice alternative to canned and relatively quicker cooking than dried, a good timesaving hack. Choose whichever you like for my recipe. Both are equally satisfying. Black-eyed peas taste wonderfully different from other beans, with a unique flavor and heady aroma.

Traditionally, smoked ham hock, bacon or smoked turkey are part of the picture. But, here, I instead opted to use fresh pork belly after spying it at the butcher shop. Purists may mock the idea. I seasoned the meat and let it cure overnight, then simmered it until tender. This provided a tasty broth in which to cook the peas. A mess of sautéed kale was stirred in at the end. Then I sizzled chunks of the pork belly for a crisp savory garnish. It’s a good idea to have a bottle of hot sauce on hand for those who need a perkier rendition.

Recipe: Cabbage Salad With Jalapeño-Lime Dressing

The menu here is designed for a casual gathering. I think of it as an open-house scenario. Stop by for a bowl of peas and stay awhile.

There’s also a big bowl of a kicky chopped cabbage salad. It’s dressed with lime juice and jalapeño and topped with sliced radishes and avocado — a bright, Mexican-inspired counterpoint to the deeper flavors of the simmered black-eyed peas.

Recipe: Spiced Apple Fritters With Hot Honey

In my fantasy, a friend has been roped in to make batches of apple fritters for dessert. A bit doughnut-like, they’re easy to make: Stir chopped apples into a thick batter, then fry little blobs of the mixture until golden. Don’t eat them warm; they taste best if they cool down a bit. But do drizzle them with hot honey for a sweet-spicy finish.

A big potful of black-eyed peas feels restorative for the first day of the year. And if you’re lucky, there are leftovers for another meal and more good fortune.

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