Take it off the heat and stir in the fresh herbs and lemon juice. Give it a taste then add more lemon juice or salt and pepper, if you like. Drain the black-eyed peas when they are tender.

For generations, cabbage, black-eyed peas and other symbolic foods have been a staple of New Year’s celebrations in the South. But why do we eat these particular foods, and what do they mean?

Lafayette rings in the New Year with black-eyed peas for luck, cabbage for wealth and cornbread for prosperity, all with a Cajun twist.