Thursday, July 8, 2010

Hoppin John, It's a Southern Tradition

  This weeks theme over at IHCC's Mark Bittman Challenge is BACON!!! As some of you may know, Mr. Bittman has been changing his dietary preferences over the last many years. His latest, more recent style of foods has been to, eat less meat, incorporate more vegetables and fruits. He is currently writing for  Cooking Light Magazine and Runner's World Magazine . I'm telling you this because even though I have 5 of his cookbooks and am a subscriber of Cooking Light Magazine, I was having a hard time finding a recipe with bacon in it that I liked. Until I ran across this little jewel, Hoppin John from days gone by, in How to Cook Everything. There are many variances on this recipe, as explained here by wikipedia. It's definately a southern tradition. So since I had some leftover black eyed peas, this was the perfect accompaniment for our roast pork with chimichurri sauce.


Black eyed peas, bacon, onion, thyme, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and water.
Very simple ingredients.






Hoppin John
Adapted from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything


Ingredients
1 cup Black eyed peas, washed, picked over, and soaked (I used canned, undrained)
4 ounces slab bacon or 1 smoked ham hock
1 large onion
1 4-inch sprig fresh rosemary, 2 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary or thyme
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups long grain rice

Directions
Put the peas in a medium pot with the bacon or ham hock, onion, herb, and water to cover by at least 2-inches. Bring to a boil over medium high heat.
Turn heat down to medium and cook, skimming any foam that arises, until the peas are tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove the meat and reduce the liquid to about 3 cups; as the liquid is reducing, cut the meat into chunks, removing extremely fatty pieces if you like. Return the meat to the pot.
Taste the cooking liquid and add salt and pepper if needed. Remove the rosemary or thyme sprigs if you used fresh herbs.Stir in the rice and cook, covered, until the rice is done and the liquid is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. At this point, you may let this dish sit for 15 to 29 minutes before serving.
Makes 4 to 6 servings

Notes: I had canned black eyed peas and leftover cooked rice. I added the black eyed peas uncooked with the bacon, onion, and thyme sprigs and let them simmer for about 1/2 hour. Then added the cooked rice and red pepper flakes, and about 2 - 3 tablespoons of water and let that simmer about another 20 minutes.
It was still delicious. I have to restock my dried beans and peas. I always have plenty of canned beans on hand, just for those quickie through together meals.

This is a good old southern dish. I have eaten a whole lot of blackeyed peas in my life. Oh, oh, oh, and guess what? I got the picky man to eat a bowl of this too, and he liked it. You know the guy that really isn't too fond of legumes, unless they're in Chili. Ha haa. My next adventure with black eyed peas will be to try fritters. Those I have never eaten, nor made. I'll let you know how that goes, down the road from now.


I am submitting this to IHCC's Bacon Theme this week.*
IHCC


I am also submitting this to Andrea at  My Kitchen, My World for this month's U.S.A. Challenge.*                


      

* Stop in and see what everyone else is cooking up.

Hoppin John

A Southern Tradition of Black Eyed Peas and Rice.

Adapted from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman

See Hoppin John on Key Ingredient.

 
 























Southern Hoppin John on Foodista


 
If you like or even love legumes, and have never tried this dish, you should definately try it. This could be a meal all on it's own, especially if made with the ham hock. Or leave it out if you don't eat pork products.
Carla and Michael

23 comments:

  1. I have never tried black eyed peas, but they sure sounds delicious in this. I like that you added rice. I love legumes; so I think this would definitely be something I would love:) Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Carla...Hoppin John is one of my favorite things...Really it is...Not just on New Years...I like to eat it with chicken and white bbq sauce...I know its a wierd combo...but it sure is good.

    ReplyDelete
  3. This looks like a wonderful, tasty dish! I haven't made Hoppin John before, but have eaten it a few times. Bacon makes everything better.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I have never tried this dish but would love to give yours a go. Looks like a dish I am going to post tomorrow. However, mine doesn't look as good!

    Cheers!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Love black eyed peas!!!Another beautiful dish!!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I've heard of Hoppin John but never had. It looks great!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love black eyed peas!! They are actually my favorite kind of beans. :) This dish looks so good.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love Hoppin John--gonna have to try this one for sure. What a great pick for bacon week!

    ReplyDelete
  9. That's good stuff...my husband LOVES hoppin John, but he's a southerner, and I make it every now and then. I just got a copy of Cooking Light and am loving that magazine.

    ReplyDelete
  10. So this is the Hopping John. Didn't know about it...looks absolutely delicious.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh, I love Hoppin' John...this version sounds super tasty!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Oh I love Hoppin' John! Your dish looks awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I really have to try this. All these years and it has never passed my lips. I should be ashamed of myself. As it happens I have some black-eyed peas left from another recipe and that along with your recipe means the time has come to taste this.I hope you are having a great day. Blessings...Mary

    ReplyDelete
  14. I am a legume lover and would be so pleased to have a bowl of this! Great way to feature bacon, Carla! Looks delicious.

    ReplyDelete
  15. This is something new to me
    and it sounds delicious,
    I'll surely give it a try someday!

    ReplyDelete
  16. I never had hoppin' John! It sounds delicious - love everything in it!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Holy Cow, this looks good! I'm a big Bittman fan, who isn't?! And, while I've heard of Hoppin' John many times, I've never made it. Clearly, I'm going to have to do something about that! :)

    ReplyDelete
  18. I have never had this delicious looking treat!! I so want to look out for it now!

    ReplyDelete
  19. If it has bacon my husband will eat it! I am going to make this for him. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Carla and Michael,

    This dish looks wonderful! I've never had Hoppin' John and can't wait to give it a try. Thanks for participating with My Kitchen My World -- USA, and welcome to the group. Just wanted to let you know that the USA round-up and August destination are up at MKMW.

    Take care,
    Andrea

    ReplyDelete
  21. I love hoppin john! Being a southerner myself, I've had plenty of it. Yours looks absolutely delicious. Can't wait for Canada next month!!!

    ReplyDelete
  22. This is one thing I make for the Hubs. Looks good.

    ReplyDelete
  23. What a great representation for the USA...I've never had it, but you can bet I will be trying it out. Thanks for the recipe.

    ReplyDelete

We love hearing from our friends.