The best black-eyed peas recipe for New Year's Day

I'm not a particularly superstitious person, so my approach to traditions like cooking black-eyed peas on New Year's Day is pretty simple: It can't hurt, can it?

• And Donald Link's recipe is one I love to use, no matter what day it is.

Why it matters: Cooking black-eyed peas on New Year's Day is a longtime southern tradition, writes New Orleans resident Hannah Hayes for Southern Living.

• Its roots are in African tradition, and the dish is meant to bring about good luck. Sign me up.

My favorite black-eyed pea recipe comes from Link's "Real Cajun" cookbook. His team gave us permission to reprint it here.

Worth noting: I've used this recipe for just about every dried bean in my pantry, and it works beautifully.

Aunt Sally's Black Eyed Peas, from Donald Link

• 1 lb. dried black-eyed peas, soaked overnight
• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 4 oz. fatty pork (such as shoulder or boneless ribs) cut int 1/2-inch cubes
• 1-1/2 tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. garlic salt
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. ground black pepper
• ½ tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 6 garlic cloves
• 2 oz. (about 4 strips) smoked bacon, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 7 cups water
• 5 bay leaves

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is very hot, add the pork cubes and cook until browned on all sides, 4 to 5 minutes.
2. Add salt, garlic salt, garlic powder, pepper, cayenne, onion, garlic, and bacon and cook, stirring, an additional 4 to 5 minutes, until the onion begins to soften and the entire mixture is coated with spices.
3. Add the water and bay leaves, bring to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat, and simmer gently for about 1 ½ hours, or until the pork is tender and begins to fall apart.
4. Drain the soaked beans and add them to the pot. Cook for 1 to 1 ½ hours more, until the beans begin to soften.
5. At this point, the mixture should still be a little loose or watery. With the back of a spoon, mash some of the beans against the side of the pot. This will give the beans a creamier, thicker consistency. You can also boil them for a few minutes at full heat to evaporate some of the liquid, watching carefully to make sure they don't scorch.

Consider serving these black-eyed peas over cornbread or alongside grilled or fried pork chops, or simply serve them with rice (and hot sauce) as a meal of its own.

Editor's note: This recipe was corrected to add 1 tsp. of garlic powder and 7 cups of water.