Hoppin John
Instructions:
- This moist and delicious rice-and-black-eyed-pea mixture is served in the South on New Year’s Day for luck: The peas represent coins, ensuring a prosperous year.
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 large onion (12 ounces), chopped
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 package (16 ounces) dry black-eyed peas, rinsed and picked through
- 1 large smoked ham hock (12 ounces)
- 4 cups water
- 2 cans (141â„2 ounces each) chicken broth or
- 31â„2 cups Chicken Broth
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1â„4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups regular long-grain rice
- In 4-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; add celery, onion, and chopped red pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is golden, about 10 minutes. Add garlic; cook 2 minutes longer.
- Add black-eyed peas, ham hock, water, broth, 1 teaspoon salt, crushed red pepper, and bay leaf to celery mixture; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat; cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until black-eyed peas are tender, about 40 minutes. Discard bay leaf.
- Prepare rice as label directs, adding remaining 1 teaspoon salt. (Do not add butter or margarine.)
- In large bowl, combine pea mixture and rice. Makes 14 cups or 18 accompaniment servings.