Hoppin’ John
Hoppin’ John is a traditional new year’s meal in the Southern U.S., thought to bring good luck and prosperity. I was mostly concerned with the good luck – so far, so good. It features black-eyed peas (legume, not band) and the frugal favorite, ham.
7-8 c cooked black-eyed peas*
5-6 c broth (veg or chicken)
1 c ham, chopped (or a ham hock if your butcher has them)
2 onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1.5 c cooked rice (wild rice is excellent)
1 lg can diced tomatoes
3 ribs celery, chopped
3 jalapenos, chopped (remove the seeds from 1 or 2, depending on how hot you want it)
1 t paprika
1 t thyme leaves
1 t cumin
.5 t chili powder
1 T Worchestire sauce
After beans are cooked, or drained from the can as the case may be, set them aside. Saute onions in 1-2 T of oil for 5-6 min, then add celery, peppers, garlic and saute for another few minutes. Add tomatoes slowly as mixture starts to stick to pan. Add remaining ingredients (except black-eyed peas and broth) and saute for another couple minutes. Add beans and broth. Simmer for a few hours for best flavor.
Delicious add-ons: chopped green onions, cheddar and hot sauce.
*Use dried beans to reduce sodium, save cash and reduce the use of tin cans. Soak them overnight, rinse, bring to a boil and simmer for 2 hours. If using a ham hock, boil it with the beans to create your broth.
me loves!