Chef John's Hoppin' John with Pork and Greens

Begin by placing the black-eyed peas into a large container, covering them with several inches of cool water. Allow them to soak for 8 hours or overnight in the refrigerator. Once they have had time to rehydrate, drain and set them aside for use later.

Next, combine the pork neck bones and bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook until they are lightly browned, taking about 5 minutes to achieve this. Add the onion, celery, and carrot to the pot, stirring constantly until they are softened, which should take around 6-7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional minute.

Now, pour cold water over the pork mixture, then add the black-eyed peas. Increase the heat to high and stir in the bay leaf, thyme, cumin, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Allow it to cook for 45 minutes, or until the beans are tender.

After 40 minutes of simmering, stir in the tomatoes with green chile peppers and salt. Continue to cook the mixture uncovered until the beans are tender, which should take another 40 minutes.

Once the beans are cooked, remove the neck bones from the pot and separate any meat that may be attached to them. Return the meat to the Dutch oven, discarding the bones in the process.

Finally, stir in the diced ham and kale. Cook until the greens are tender, taking around 10-15 minutes to achieve this. Serve the bean mixture over a bed of rice.