-Pick through ½ pound of dried black-eyed peas.

-Place the black-eyed peas in a large saucepan, cover with water by two inches, bring to a boil and then drain. Leave the peas in the saucepan.

-Chop up 2 garlic cloves.

-Combine the beans in the saucepan with the garlic cloves.

-Add water to cover by two inches, and bring back to a simmer.

-Add 1 bay leaf and reduce the heat.

-Add salt to taste, cover and simmer 30 minutes, until the beans are just tender.

-Drain through a strainer set over a bowl.

-Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

-Cut 1 leek in half the long way. Wash thoroughly between the layers, then chop into thin pieces.

-In a large, oven-proof lidded skillet or Dutch oven, heat 2 TBS of olive oil over medium heat and add the leek.

-Cook, stirring, until tender, about five minutes and add another clove of chopped garlic.

-Stir together for 30 seconds to a minute, until fragrant. A handful at a time, stir in the greens. As the greens wilt, stir in another handful, until all the greens have been added and have collapsed in the pan.

-Dissolve 2 TBS tomato paste into ½ cup warm water.

-Add the dissolved tomato paste to the greens and stir together. Add salt to taste.

-Add the beans and enough cooking liquid to barely cover everything, cover and place in the oven for 30 minutes, until the collards are tender and the beans very soft.

-Uncover the pot and add a bit of liquid if the beans are dry.

-Stir in the 1 TBS of olive oil, cover and continue to simmer for another 10 minutes.

-Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Serve warm or hot.

-If you wish, top with crumbled feta or a squeeze of lemon.