Hoppin John Soup Recipes

HOPPIN' JOHN

Steps:

• Soak black-eyed peas in cool water for at least 6 hours. Rinse before using.
• Heat butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, green pepper, and celery and stir. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in soaked beans, then add chicken broth, ham hock, salt & pepper, and cayenne to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover the pot for 30 minutes.
• 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. Stir in vinegar, then taste for seasonings. Add more spice if needed.
• 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.
• Variations: Add red bell pepper, canned diced tomatoes, diced jalapenos, diced ham (instead of ham hocks), or sliced bacon (instead of ham hocks). Stir in torn-up kale when 5 minutes of cooking time remain. You can also use canned, drained black-eyed peas if preferred. Just use diced ham instead of ham hock and a little less broth, as peas won't need to cook as long.

HOPPIN JOHN

Steps:

• Heat a medium heavy-bottomed saucepot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the black-eyed peas and cover with cold water by 1 inch (should be about 6 cups water). Add the smoked turkey and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook over medium heat, covered, until tender, about 2 hours, then turn off the heat.
• Melt the butter and oil in a large saucepot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and peppers. Season with salt and pepper and cook just until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add the rice to the pot and stir until toasted, about 5 minutes.
• Add 3 cups water and 1 cup of the cooking liquid from the peas. Bring to a boil, then cover and cook over medium-low heat until the rice is tender and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and gently stir in 2 cups of the cooked peas (save the remainder for another use). Cover and cook for 10 minutes more. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with the sliced scallions before serving.

SOUTHERN HOPPIN' JOHN

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels; discard all but 2 tablespoons drippings. Saute pepper, celery and onions in drippings until almost tender. Add rice, water and seasonings. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Add peas and bacon; simmer 10 minutes longer. Discard bay leaf.

HOPPIN JOHN SOUP

Steps:

• Trim ham, if necessary. Fry 1-2 tbs of the ham fat or bacon in olive oil with garlic for about 1 minute. Add onion, carrots, and celery, and saute for about 5 minutes. Add beans, 4 cups water, and spices (don't add salt here.) Simmer for 40 minutes. Add ham, tomatoes plus 2 cups water (use the can to measure), and Rice-a-Roni with seasonings. Simmer another 30 minutes. Add in kale, (and 1 tsp salt here if you wish) and cook another 5-10 minutes, until kale is to your liking. Serve up with cornbread for a great meal!

HOPPIN' JOHN

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large soup pot, add the ham hock and sear on all sides for 4 minutes. Add the onion, celery, green pepper, and garlic, cook for 4 minutes. Add the black-eyed peas, stock, bay leaves, thyme, and seasonings. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 40 minutes, or until the peas are creamy and tender, stir occasionally. If the liquid evaporates, add more water or stock. Adjust seasonings, and garnish with green onions. Serve over rice.

HOPPIN' JOHN SOUP

Steps:

• Cook sausage, drain and crumble.
• Place sausage in a large saucepan along with all other ingredients EXCEPT black-eyed peas.
• Bring to a boil and let simmer about 25 minutes until rice is done.
• Add drained peas and cook 15 more minutes.
• Serve with your favorite cornbread. Warmed leftovers are delicious!

GINA'S HOPPIN' JOHN SOUP

Steps:

• Remove the stems and center ribs from the collard greens. Stack about six leaves on top of each other, roll into a cigar shape, and slice into thin ribbons.
• Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, toss in the ham, onion, garlic, carrot, and celery, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are tender, roughly 4 minutes. Sprinkle in the red-pepper flakes, and season with salt and pepper. Add the collard greens, and sauté until they begin to soften.
• Pour in the chicken broth, the bay leaf, the black-eyed peas, and the can of tomatoes with their juices. Bring to a simmer, and cook for 30 minutes. Stir the rice into the soup to warm. Taste for seasoning, and add more salt and pepper, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce.
• Spoon into bowls, and sprinkle each bowl with Parmesan cheese.