Hoppin’ John is a traditional Southern New Year’s dish that consists of black-eyed peas, rice, collard greens, and ham hocks, along with aromatics and various spices depending on the tastes of the cook. We decided to get a little creative this week by turning this dish into an easy, satisfying soup and we’re glad we did because the results were delicious!
Ingredients:
Garlic, minced 2 cloves
Jalapeno, minced 1
Onion, chopped 1
Carrot, chopped 1
Celery, chopped 1
Bay Leaf 1
Cayenne Pepper 1 tsp
Ham, diced 1 1/2 Cups
Long Grain Rice 2/3 C
Chicken Stock 8 Cups
Black Eyed Peas 2 Cups (Frozen)
Collard Greens (Shredded) 1/2 Bunch
Lemon 1
Scallions and Diced Tomato for garnish
Preparation
1. Film the bottom of a large pot with olive oil
2. Fry the ham over med-high heat until it is brown and crispy. Reduce the heat to medium.
3. Saute onion, celery, and carrot for about 3 minutes on medium heat until translucent and coated in oil.
3. Add the garlic, jalapeno, and bay leaf, and continue to saute for about another minute. Reduce the heat if the garlic sizzles too loudly. Do NOT burn the garlic.
4. Add the collard greens and rice and throughly mix into the sauteed vegetables and ham. The greens should be well coated in oil and beginning to wilt. This should take about 2 minutes.
5. Squeeze the lemon evenly over all ingredients, and add cayenne and salt to taste. REMEMBER: You can always add more salt, so be conservative.
6. Stir in the Black Eyed Peas and saute for about a minute.
7. Now add the stock, bring the soup to a boil, and immediately reduce the soup to a simmer for 25 to 30 minutes.
8. Spoon the soup into bowls and top with scallions and tomatoes
May 2011 be a prosperous and wonderful year for all:-)
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