Black-Eyed Peas And Kale Ragout

1 pound dry black-eyed peas
6 cups cold water
1 teaspoon salt
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped, (optional)
8 ounces rind and trimmings from Virginia ham, pancetta or bacon, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
2 onions (8 ounces), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced (2 tablespoons)
1 ½ pounds kale, collard greens or spinach, leaves cut into 2-inch pieces and stems into 1/2-inch pieces
Tabasco sauce (optional)

Nutritional Information
- Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
  172 calories; 5 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 21 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 10 grams protein; 23 milligrams cholesterol; 861 milligrams sodium

6 servings

Wash peas and discard any damaged ones and any foreign material. Place peas in a pot with the cold water, the salt and jalapeno pepper, if desired. Bring to a boil, turn heat very low, cover, and cook for 45 minutes, or until tender.
Meanwhile, place the pieces of ham in a saucepan and cook over medium to low heat until the ham is browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Add the onions and garlic, and saute for about 1 minute.
Wash the kale carefully under cool water, and add it, still wet from washing, to the ham in the saucepan. Press down on the kale to contain it in the pan, cover and cook until wilted and soft, about 10 minutes. (If substituting collard greens or spinach for kale, don’t cook them as long. The spinach, for example, will be tender in about one minute.)
At serving time, combine the kale mixture with the beans, stir, bring to a boil and simmer together for 8 to 10 minutes. Serve with Tabasco sauce, if desired.