Hoppin' John for a Happy New Year

We all know that black-eyed peas bring us luck. If you're a purist, try out my Lucky Black-eyed Peas recipe that is already posted. If you would like something that incorporates a few more flavors, think about Hoppin' John. This mixture of ham, veggies, and peas gives a little more variety than traditional black-eyed peas, but is sure to bring you luck just the same. (Note: I like a small amount of sweet white corn in my Hoppin' John, but that isn't usually included as a traditional ingredient. Feel free to exclude it!).

Hoppin' John
1-2 T oil or pan drippings
1 c. cooked, finely chopped ham
1 c. sweet onion, chopped
1/2 c. green pepper, finely diced
1/2 c. red bell pepper, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. black-eyed peas, soaked overnight and rinsed if dried; or use fresh; canned are okay in a pinch if rinsed and well-drained; if using frozen, rinse in warm water to thaw and then drain.
3 cans low-sodium chicken broth or your own chicken stock
1 can sweet white corn kernels, rinsed and drained
1 Bay leaf
1 t. dried thyme
Salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
finely chopped green onion, for garnish
cooked rice, optional

Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the ham and brown. Add the onion, green and red peppers, and garlic. Cook about 5 minutes or until veggies soften. You may need to adjust the heat to prevent scorching. Add the peas, corn, broth, and seasonings. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 40 minutes, or until the peas are tender, stirring occasionally. If the broth evaporates, add water (if you add broth just be careful not to get too much salt). Add salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste and serve over rice topped with green onions if desired.

Lucky Black-eyed Peas

How can you not love Black-eyed Peas, and as much as I love the singing group of the same name, that's not what I'm talking about. Black-eyed peas are filled with protein and fiber, and, when eaten on New Year's Day, are said to bring you luck! Most Southern food lovers have cooked up these delicious legumes at one time or another. Here's my method for cooking them. I prefer to use fresh, but when I have to use dried, I soak them overnight according to the package directions, rinse well, and drain. Enjoy!

Lucky Black-Eyed Peas
Fresh or dried black-eyed peas
cured ham or salt pork, rinsed to remove excess salt, optional
1/2 stick butter
1 small onion
low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth, or your own stock
hot water
salt / pepper to taste

Saute the onion in butter until soft. Add diced, rinsed, and drained ham or salt pork, if desired. Cook 5 minutes. Pour in 1 can low-sodium chicken broth. Bring to a boil and add peas. Add enough hot water to cover peas (you can use broth but, depending on the ham you use, you may get everything too salty). Cover and simmer 30 minutes to 1 hour until peas reach desired tenderness and depending on whether you are using fresh or dried. Be sure to watch the water / broth level so you don't end up with a scorched mess.