Black-Eyed Peas with Pork and Greens

Ingredients

• 3 slices bacon cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1  bay leaf 
• 1 pound black-eyed peas dried
• 10 ounce canned tomatoes diced with green chile peppers canned
• 1 cup carrots diced
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper to taste
• 1 cup celery diced
• 6 ounces ham smoked diced
• 1 teaspoon thyme leaves dried
• 3 cloves garlic chopped
• 0.5 teaspoon ground cumin 
• 0.5 teaspoon ground pepper black
• 1 bunch kale 
• 1 cup onion diced
• 1 pound pork neck bones 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 6 cups water cold

Equipment

• dutch oven

Directions

1. Place black-eyed peas into a large container and cover with several inches of cool water; let stand 8 hours to overnight.
2. Drain and set aside.
3. Cook pork necks and bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in onion, celery, and carrot; cook and stir until softened, 6 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute.
5. Pour cold water and black-eyed peas into pork mixture; increase heat to high.
6. Stir in bay leaf, thyme, cumin, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Bring mixture to a simmer, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes.
7. Stir in tomatoes and salt. Simmer uncovered until beans are tender, about 40 minutes.
8. Remove neck bones from mixture; separate any meat from bones, return meat to Dutch oven, and discard bones.
9. Stir in diced ham and kale; cook until greens are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
10. Serve over rice.