Hopping John Food

SOUTHERN HOPPIN' JOHN

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels; discard all but 2 tablespoons drippings. Saute pepper, celery and onions in drippings until almost tender. Add rice, water and seasonings. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Add peas and bacon; simmer 10 minutes longer. Discard bay leaf.

HOPPIN' JOHN

Steps:

• Soak black-eyed peas in cool water for at least 6 hours. Rinse before using.
• Heat butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, green pepper, and celery and stir. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in soaked beans, then add chicken broth, ham hock, salt & pepper, and cayenne to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover the pot for 30 minutes.
• After 30 minutes, check the liquid level; if it's too soupy, cook with the lid off for another 15 minutes or so. If it's too thick, splash in a little more broth. Stir in vinegar, then taste for seasonings. Add more spice if needed.
• Serve over white or brown rice, making sure to get plenty of the cooking liquid spooned over the top. Or, you may mix the bean mixture with the rice before serving.
• Variations: Add red bell pepper, canned diced tomatoes, diced jalapenos, diced ham (instead of ham hocks), or sliced bacon (instead of ham hocks). Stir in torn-up kale when 5 minutes of cooking time remain. You can also use canned, drained black-eyed peas if preferred. Just use diced ham instead of ham hock and a little less broth, as peas won't need to cook as long.

HOPPIN JOHN

Steps:

• Heat a medium heavy-bottomed saucepot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the black-eyed peas and cover with cold water by 1 inch (should be about 6 cups water). Add the smoked turkey and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook over medium heat, covered, until tender, about 2 hours, then turn off the heat.
• Melt the butter and oil in a large saucepot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and peppers. Season with salt and pepper and cook just until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add the rice to the pot and stir until toasted, about 5 minutes.
• Add 3 cups water and 1 cup of the cooking liquid from the peas. Bring to a boil, then cover and cook over medium-low heat until the rice is tender and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and gently stir in 2 cups of the cooked peas (save the remainder for another use). Cover and cook for 10 minutes more. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with the sliced scallions before serving.

HOPPIN' JOHN

Steps:

• Thinly slice 3 scallions. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet; add the scallion whites, 2 ounces diced smoked ham, 1 diced celery stalk, 1/2 diced green bell pepper, and salt; cook, stirring, 6 minutes. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and a pinch of cayenne; cook 1 minute. Add 10 ounces thawed frozen black-eyed peas and 1 cup chicken broth; simmer 8 minutes. Stir in the scallion greens. Serve over rice if using.

HOPPIN' JOHN

Steps:

• In a small skillet, saute the peppers, onion, garlic powder and salt in butter for 4-5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in the peas and rice; heat through, stirring occasionally.

HOPPIN JOHN

Steps:

• Heat a medium heavy-bottomed saucepot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the black-eyed peas and cover with cold water by 1 inch (should be about 3 cups water). Add a pinch of salt and the smoked turkey and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, over medium heat until tender, about 2 hours.
• Melt the butter in a large saucepot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and peppers. Season with salt and pepper and cook just until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, 1 minute more. Add the rice and stir until toasted, about 5 minutes.
• Add 3 cups of water and 1 cup of the cooking liquid from the peas, check for seasoning and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, over medium-low heat until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender and cooked through, about 20 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and gently stir in 2 cups of the cooked peas. Cover and cook 10 minutes more. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with the scallions before serving.

HOPPIN' JOHN

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large soup pot, add the ham hock and sear on all sides for 4 minutes. Add the onion, celery, green pepper, and garlic, cook for 4 minutes. Add the black-eyed peas, stock, bay leaves, thyme, and seasonings. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 40 minutes, or until the peas are creamy and tender, stir occasionally. If the liquid evaporates, add more water or stock. Adjust seasonings, and garnish with green onions. Serve over rice.

EASY HOPPIN' JOHN

Steps:

• Place the sausage and onion into a large saucepan over medium heat, and cook and stir until the sausage begins to brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in the black-eyed peas, chicken stock, water, and cayenne pepper, and bring to a boil. Stir in the rice, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender, 20 to 25 minutes.