Hoppin’ John- A New Year’s Tradition
Posted On November 5, 2009
I had a whole container of black eyed peas sitting in my pantry. They have been screaming at me for years and I have never used them. I try to use beans when I cook to get extra fiber. Well, I finally gave in and came up with a recipe to use them in, that I hoped my family would gobble up. I loved how it turned out and even the left overs tasted good.
Hoppin’ John
- 2 cups dried black-eyed peas
- 1/2 lb of thick cut bacon or ham, diced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 1 carrot chopped finely
- 8 oz sliced mushrooms
- 8 cups of chicken broth
- 1 tsp salt
- 8 twists on a pepper grinder
- 1 1/2 cups basmati rice
- Soak peas while you are chopping the vegetables.
- Cook the bacon in a large soup pot. When crispy add your vegetables and saute until they are tender.
- Add soaked peas (without the water), and broth. Being to a boil.
- Cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 30 minutes and season with salt and pepper.
- Stir in rice. Cook for 20 minutes or until the beans and rice are cooked through. Add more broth if the liquid is absorbed.
My daughters said next time they want me to use ham because the bacon does not stay crisp. The flavor was good but don’t be afraid to add more spices. When I served it, we all sprinkled a little more salt and pepper (we usually don’t). I would even recommend adding a small amount of red pepper flakes to kick it up a notch!