New Year's traditions

[Guest guest]

Selection from article that will appear in this week's Jerusalem Post.

Shoshana

 

Since human nature is universal, I have never found it surprising that

seasonal and life-cycle celebrations of very different cultures

express similar ideas and emotions, often using similar observances or

customs. Despite this, I was very surprised to find an unexpected

connection between the Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah) and American

New Year's celebrations. As holiday moods go, few could be more

different than the celebratory but reflective atmosphere of Rosh

Hashanah and the alcohol-driven gaiety of the typical New Year's Eve

party. Yet champagne at midnight is not the only traditional food

Americans serve on New Years. Across the southern United States,

especially from Georgia to Texas, black-eyed peas are served as symbol

the prosperity desired during the coming year. The same earthy beans,

called " lubia " in Hebrew, is one of the symbolic foods eaten by many

Jews (especially of Sephardic or Middle Eastern origin) on Rosh

Hashanah. The Jewish custom is derived from a word play on the pea's

Aramaic name " rubia " and the Hebrew word " yirbeh " (will increase). So

Jews eat them after expressing their wish that " our merits may increase. "

 

Whatever symbolic virtues people attribute to black-eyed peas, their

nutritional values is undisputed. They are a good source fiber,

folate, iron, potassium and protein. Cooked without salt, a half-cup

serving of unadorned back-eyed peas, has 100 calories, 6.7 grams of

protein, almost no fat, 12% of the US official recommended daily

intake of iron and 44% of the RDA of folate.

 

When cooking any dried beans, remember that salt and acidic foods

(including as tomatoes, lemon juice and vinegar) toughen the surface

of the beans and should be added only when they beans are almost tender.

 

A popular recipe, which was a hit on my Rosh Hashanah table, is a

spicy bean salad known as " Texas Caviar. "

 

Texas Caviar

 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup dry black-eyed peas

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 tsp. seeded hot pepper, minced (or to taste)

1/2 cup chopped green onion

1 clove garlic, or to taste, minced

1 Tbl. dry oregano or other herb, to taste

1 cup olive oil

1/4 cup vinegar

1 Tbs. mustard

Cilantro to taste, chopped

Salt and coarsely ground black pepper to taste

 

Preparation:

Soak the peas overnight in cold water or place in water to cover plus

2 cm, bring to a boil, cover and let sit one hour.

Drain, simmer in new, unsalted water until tender.

In a large bowl, combine black-eyed peas, hot pepper and minced

garlic. Toss gently.

In smaller bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, mustard and dried

herbs. Add dressing to black-eyed pea mixture. Mix thoroughly while

the beans are still hot.

Let the beans cool a bit, add green bell pepper, green onion and

cilantro. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Let mixture set

in the refrigerator for approximately 6 hours.

[Guest guest]

I'm not familiar with the beans traditiion ;=) - although I have heard of it, of

course. It sounds like a lovely idea for us to adopt here in this household.

Thanks for your great recipe for Texas Caviar!

 

Best,

 

Pat