A Southern New Year's Day Tradition: Hoppin John (Rice and Beans)

I was forunate to get a corporate transfer to live in Atlanta for a couple of years and thoroughly enjoyed the deep traditions associated with food.  It is no wonder tha Paula Dean is such a popular celebrity chef since Southern hospitality is as wonderful as the food.  With a little bit of work you can strip out alot of fat and sugar from many of these rich dishes, but luckily some are just plain good on their own and the ingredients are pretty cheap to come by.

One tradition I wanted to honor today was  Hoppin' John, which is essentially is a take on rice and beans, high in protein and fiber.  In the south it is served on New Year's Day since it is thought to bring luck and prosperity, and who wouldn't want more of that.   The main ingredient is black eyed peas,   symbolic of pennies or coins.  I understand that in some households, a coin is sometimes added to the pot or left under the dinner bowls.  If you add collard greens, turnip greens, kale or green cabbage, that adds to the wealth (green being the color of money, although in Canada our paper currency runs all sorts of colors).  In some areas you can also serve cornbread to also represent weath, as the color of gold.

Have left overs?  When you serve Hoppin John, the next day it is called, "Skippin' Jenny, and since you are stretching the meal to another day, you shall be rewarded by your frugality with even better chances for prosperity in the New Year. 

There are tons of recipes out there, this one was inspired by The Pioneer Woman Cooks, who lives in the country and not down south, but I am a country gal myself so I am a fan.

As I mentioned the ingredients are pretty inexpensive to come by and I pulled out a few ingredients from my freezer, including a ham bone from a cooked ham I had served around Thanksgiving which I was saving for soup. In the spirit of frugal cooking, you can use whatever you have on hand.  You can substitute chopped ham for the ham bone, canned peas for the dried or fresh black eyed peas.

Dried beans do take a while to soften up and I like to let the pot simmer on the stove and fill the house with wonderful smells, so if you aren't in a hurray, let nature do its work.  The flavours taste even better the next day.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
• 1 whole Large Onion, chopped
• 4 cloves Garlic, minced
• 2 cups of diced peppers (green, yellow, red, whatever you like)
• 2 stalks Celery, Diced
• 4 cups Soaked Black-eyed Peas (or 2 cans of black eyed peas which will shorten your cooking time)
• 1 box of  Chicken Broth (use low sodium if you can find it): about 5 cups
• 1  large can diced tomatoes
• 2 red jalapenos, finely chopped
• 1 whole Ham Hock
• 1 cup of cubed ham (if your family members aren't veggie-saurs)
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• Cayenne Pepper To Taste
• Tabasco sauce to taste
• 2 Tablespoons White Vinegar
• White Or Brown Rice, For Serving

Method

1. If you use dried black eyed peas, you will need to soak them overnight or at least 6 hours in cool water.  Rinse before using.
2. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, peppers, and celery and stir. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Stir in soaked beans, then add chicken broth, ham hock, salt & pepper, and cayenne to taste.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover the pot for 30 minutes.
5. After 30 minutes, check the liquid level; if it's too soupy, cook with the lid off for another 15 minutes or so. If it's too thick, splash in a little more broth. Leave the pot on the stove for hours if you like...the flavours will just keep blending in.
6. Stir in vinegar, then taste for seasonings. Add more spice if needed.
7. Serve over white or brown rice, making sure to get plenty of the cooking liquid spooned over the top. Or, you may mix the bean mixture with the rice before serving.