Southern recipes that add spice to traditional New Year’s Day dishes

From hoppin’ John to collard greens, when it comes to New Year’s Day meals, Southerners eat well. The South is rich in culinary tradition, with many of its New Year’s dishes focusing on flavor and a little bit of luck.

Here are five recipes crafted by Southern chefs to welcome in the new year —with some unique twists.

Credit: Virginia Willis for The Atlanta Journal Constitution

Credit: Virginia Willis for The Atlanta Journal Constitution

Black-Eyed Peas and Collard Greens Soup

The time-honored Southern tradition of black-eyed peas and collard greens on New Year’s Day continues with this tasty recipe. Atlanta chef Virginia Willis, author of “Bon Appetit, Y’all” and a food columnist for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, shared her favorite way to make this classic. It’s big on flavor, low on calories and hearty.

This recipe feeds six people:

Cover the cooking surface of a large pot in nonstick spray, then add onion, carrots and celery. Cook the mixture over medium-low heat for 3-5 minutes. They should be soft and translucent when done.

Add garlic and cook for 45-60 seconds, until fragrant, then add red pepper flakes, smoked turkey, salt, pepper, stock and black-eyed peas. Stir the mixture, then bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook the mixture uncovered for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. The peas will be tender when done cooking.

Add collard greens, stir and cook until the greens wilt in roughly 5 minutes. The meal should then immediately be served.

Credit: Justin Keith

Credit: Justin Keith

Southern Bistro’s Coca-Cola Braised Collard Greens

Southern Bistro is a Sandy Springs eatery with homemade dishes and desserts, including a side of collard greens made with Coca-Cola. Owner and chef Justin Keith shared the recipe for anyone interested in a side of greens with a hint of sweetness.

This recipe serves eight people:

Place the ham hock in a stovetop stockpot, then cover the ham in chicken broth, tomatoes, Coca-Cola, brown sugar, onion, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and hot sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then add collard greens.

Stir the mixture, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 30-45 minutes, until the greens are tender. Once finished, remove the ham hock. Remove all bones and add the remaining meat to the greens.

Discard the ham hock’s bone and skin.

Credit: Grace Dickinson

Credit: Grace Dickinson

Mark Henegan’s Hoppin’ John

Hoppin’ John — dried peas, pork and rice — can be sourced back to Southern cookbooks from the 1840s. It’s an iconic meal that’s been influencing American cuisine for centuries, and it’s become tradition in many Southern households to eat it on New Year’s Day for good luck.

South Africa native Mark Henegan — owner of Black Mountain, North Carolina’s Bush Farmhouse — took inspirations from his home’s cuisine to craft a totally unique take on the iconic dish.

This recipe serves four people:

Each serving should feature 1 cup of rice in the center of the serving plate, 1 cup of umngqusho and morogo on either side of the rice. Top the meal with 1 tablespoon of red pepper sauce and drizzle with olive oil.

For directions on how to make umngqusho, morogo and red pepper paste, visit ajc.com/food-and-dining/good-luck-everyday-a-south-african-twist-on-hoppin-john/.

Credit: Handout

Credit: Handout

Marcus Bar & Grille’s M’s Cornbread

Cornbread is a popular Southern classic no matter the day of the year, but it’s a great New Year’s dish, too.

Old Fourth Ward’s Marcus Bar & Grille uses a cornbread recipe adapted from restaurant owner Marcus Samuelsson’s “The Red Rooster Cookbook: The Story of Food and Hustle in Harlem,” according to executive chef Gary Caldwell. It’s sweet, spicy and moister than your average cornbread.

This recipe serves eight people:

Heat the oven to 325 degrees. While it preheats, cover a 9-by-5 loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Whisk the dry ingredients — flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, Aleppo pepper and salt — in a large bowl.

In a separate, empty bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients — sour cream, buttermilk, eggs, egg yolk and melted butter. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix everything together.

Once combined into batter, pour the contents into the sprayed loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for about an hour. When its done, the bread will be brown and pull away from the sides of the pan. You should be able to poke a skewer cleanly to the bread’s center.

The cornbread should cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 20 minutes. Once cooled, run a knife around the sides of the pan to loosen the bread.

Credit: Krista Slater

Credit: Krista Slater

Champagne Cocktail

No New Year’s menu is finished without a proper cocktail. This recipe, by Athens restaurateurs and food columnists Jerry and Krista Slater, is a classic, ensuring all your guests get an opportunity to sip on Champagne as they welcome the new year.

Here’s the recipe for a single serving:

Drop the sugar cube into a Champagne flute, then cover it in the bitters. Slowly pour the wine over the sugar, careful not to let it bubble over, then garnish with the lemon twist.