Suzys Hoppin 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:

• Sauté sausage to brown, then drain.
• In a large pot combine sausage, rice, butter, onion, salt, pepper and peas. Add the water; cook until rice is tender.

HOPPIN' JOHN

Steps:

• Sort and rinse peas. Soak peas in enough water to cover at least 8 hours or overnight.
• Drain and rinse soaked peas; set aside. In 4- to 6-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and celery; sauté about 5 minutes or until onion is translucent. Add garlic; sauté about 2 minutes or until fragrant.
• Add ham hock, broth, tomatoes and bay leaf. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to simmer; stir in soaked peas. Add salt to taste. Cook 50 to 60 minutes or until peas are tender.
• Remove and discard bay leaf. Remove ham hock. Remove ham from bone; discard bone. Shred ham; return to Dutch oven and stir. Serve over hot cooked rice.

CHORIZO HOPPIN' JOHN

Steps:

• Boil the peas and thyme until the peas have split.
• Drain, reserving about a quarter cup of water with the peas.
• In a heavy-bottomed pot, fry up the bacon until just crisped and remove with a slotted spoon.
• In the same pot, add the onion, garlic and chourico, cook until golden and the chourico is just browned.
• While this is going on, boil the rice in plenty of well-salted water until tender.
• Drain and keep ready.
• Drain off most of the fat. Add the peas and water, stir and cover a few minutes.
• Add the cooked rice and reserved bacon and mix well.
• Cook over lowest heat until nearly dry.
• Take care not to scorch the mixture.
• Adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper and the tabasco.