Hoppin John Black Eyed Pea Casserole Recipes

HOPPIN' JOHN

Steps:

• Cook the bacon, celery, onion, green pepper, and garlic: If you are using bacon, cut it into small pieces and cook it slowly in a medium pot over medium-low heat. If you are using a ham hock, heat the oil in the pot. Once the bacon is crispy (or the oil is hot if you are using a ham hock and not bacon), increase the heat to medium-high and add the celery, onion, and green pepper and saute until they begin to brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, stir well, and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add the black-eyed peas and seasonings: Add the black-eyed peas, bay leaf, thyme, and Cajun seasoning and cover with 4 cups of water. If you are using the ham hock, add it to the pot and bring to a simmer. Cook for an hour to an hour and a half, (less time or more depending on the freshness of the black-eyed peas) until the peas are tender (not mushy).
• Cook the rice: While the black-eyed peas are cooking, cook the rice separately according to package instructions.
• Strain the peas and adjust the seasoning: When the black-eyed peas are tender, strain out the remaining cooking water. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Taste the black-eyed peas for salt and add if needed. If using a ham hock, remove it from the pot, pull off the meat, and return the meat to the pot.
• Serve with the rice: Serve the dish either by placing a ladle-full of black-eyed peas over steamed rice, or by mixing the two together in a large bowl. Garnish with chopped green onions. Serve with collard greens , kale, beet tops, or turnip greens.

HOPPIN' JOHN -- RICE AND BLACK-EYED PEAS

Steps:

• In a 4 qt or pan brown bacon and cook onion in bacon grease until the onion is transparent. ** For vegan, omit bacon and use approximately 1/4 cup of vegetable oil to cook onion.
• Add uncooked rice, black eyed peas (with juice) and water to your bacon onion mixture. Mix well. **For vegan add liquid smoke at this point to replace the smoke flavor that would have been added by the bacon.
• Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium.
• When the tops of the bursting bubbles of boiling water are all of the liquid that can be seen above the rice, remove the pan from the heat and cover.
• Wait at least twenty minutes, WITHOUT PEEKING!
• Don't do it. You'll loose precious heat and steam.
• Serve with bread of your choice, or with the veggies of your choice and plenty of hot sauce. Of course, the variety of hot sauce you choose will depend on your tolerance for heat. If you would like, this could be served as a side dish, as well.

HOPPIN' JOHN (BLACK-EYED PEAS WITH KIELBASA)

Steps:

• Quick-soak black-eyed peas.
• Quarter kielbasa lengthwise and cut quarters crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. Chop onion and mince garlic. Cut celery crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Wearing rubber gloves, seed and mince jalapeño.
• In a 3-quart heavy kettle cook kielbasa, onion, garlic, celery, jalapeño, and bay leaf in oil over moderate heat, stirring, until onion is softened. Add peas and broth and simmer, covered, 20 minutes, or until peas are tender. Discard bay leaf and stir in coriander and salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve Hoppin' John spooned over rice.