Cajun black-eyed peas and cabbage - a new year's tradition

Ingredients

Black-eyed Peas:

• 1 libra. dried black-eyed peas
• 2 slices of hickory smoked bacon
• 2 tablepsoons onions, minced
• 2 tablepsoons bell pepper, minced
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon Colgin liquid smoke
• Water
• Salt and pepper to taste.

Cabbage:

• 1 head of cabbage, leaves separated
• 3 or 4 pork chops
• 2 tablepsoons oil
• 1 tablepsoon Colgin liquid smoke (hickory)
• 1 measure DIY Cajun Seasoning
• Additional salt and pepper (if desired)

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Preparation

• Black-eyed Peas:
  Over medium (or lower) heat, black-eyed peas can be done in just a few minutes. It's the pot liquor that makes all the difference in how your peas will taste, however. Using a 2 quart pot begin by adding just enough water to cover the peas and sautéed vegetables by about an inch, (or by a finger and a half as we say in Cajun speak), and begin the slow process of cooking them to perfection, while stirring occasionally (around 1 - 1 1/2 hrs.). Keep an eye on the peas because you may have to add a little more water occasionally as they absorb and cook.You will know when they become tender enough by taste-testing. Set them aside until the boiled cabbage is done. A pound of dried black-eyed peas, when cooked, should yield between 5 and 6 cups.
• Cabbage:
  The first thing is season the heck out of the pork chops with one measure of DIY Cajun Seasoning (easy to make - check it out), and fry them up in my cast-iron skillet on medium-high heat in a couple tablespoons of oil. Fry the chops for a couple minutes on both sides until they are well browned, but don't cook them all the way because they will finish cooking with the slow-boiling cabbage. The next thing is get kitchen shears and cut-up the chops into bite size pieces and add this to the boiling cabbage. If you are using a heavy cast-iron skillet, chances are in your favor that a crust will form at the bottom of the skillet (it usually does when you cook meat fast on high heat).This is a good thing.

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