Good Ol' Hoppin' John
Serves: 8-10
"Hoppin' John has been a traditional way to celebrate the coming of the New Year throughout the South (and wherever you find Southerners, like myself, scattered around the world!) for more than a century. Its roots lie in the fields of the Carolinas and the dish is based on the lowly black-eyed pea, which came to this country by way of Africa.
"The pea with its 'knowing eye' is said to bring luck and prosperity for the coming year. To make a real feast of it, serve with cornbread and leafy greens cooked with a little of the seasoned stock from the peas. Delicious!" — PCC Chef Lynne Vea
Ingredients
Preparation
NotesIngredients
For the Hoppin' John
- 1 cup dried black-eyed peas Add to list
- 2 tablespoons olive oil Add to list
- 1 medium onion, chopped Add to list
- 6 cups chicken broth Add to list
- 1 tablespoon Spike Seasoning Add to list
- 1 smoked turkey leg or thigh Add to list
- 1 cup uncooked white basmati rice Add to list
- 1 cup chopped fresh or canned tomatoes (optional) Add to list
- Salt and pepper to taste Add to list
Serve With
- 1/2 cup finely chopped tomato Add to list
- 1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper Add to list
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley Add to list
- Squeeze of fresh lemon Add to list
- 1/2 teaspoon salt Add to list
- Hot sauce to taste Add to list
Preparation
Soak the peas by one of the methods listed below. Drain and rinse them.
In a large soup pot, heat the oil and cook the onions until they are tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the peas, broth, Spike and smoked turkey. Bring the mixture back to a simmer and cook for 1 to 2 hours or until the peas are very tender.
Remove the turkey from the pot and shred the meat, discarding the bone. Stir the rice, tomatoes (if you are using them) and turkey meat back into the beans. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Turn the heat off and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
To serve
Combine all of the ingredients and serve spooned over the beans. Accompany with greens (see recipe here) and your favorite cornbread recipe. Fabulous!
Notes
Quick-soaking method: Rinse the beans and remove any rocks or residue. Combine them with 8 cups of water in a large pot. Bring to a rapid boil, and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 1 hour. Drain the beans and rinse them.
Overnight-soaking method: Rinse the beans and remove any rocks or residue. Combine them with 8 cups of water in a large pot. Let stand overnight or at least 6 hours. Drain the beans and rinse them.
Recipe by , PCC Chef
Source: Demonstrated on KING 5's "Gardening with Ciscoe" show aired on December 27, 2008
ABOUT OUR CHEF: Lynne Vea
Lynne Vea is a graduate of the Executive Chef Program at Le Cordon Bleu, Paris and has been cooking with PCC Natural Markets since 2001. Featured on King-5’s "Gardening with Ciscoe," she demonstrates easy and delicious recipes using seasonal ingredients.
Lynne is an admired PCC Cooks instructor, teaching a variety of popular PCC Cooks classes throughout the year.
She loves to collect old cookbooks, hunt for wild berries, and cook seven-course dinners where the guests are encouraged to dance and cavort between courses.
Find more recipes from Lynne.
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