Hoppin John With Bacon Cheese Recipes

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

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

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients before the bacon.
• Pour into a 2 qrt buttered casserole with cover.
• Bake at 350, tightly covered, for 1 1/2 hours.
• Uncover, stir and toss lightly with blackeyed peas; cover and bake 30 more minutes.
• Garnish with bacon, parsley and pimento.

HEALTHY HOPPIN' JOHN

Steps:

• Remove the loose outer leaves of the cabbage to reveal the tightly packed head. Carefully chop the cabbage into coarse pieces. Discard the core. Place the pieces into a collander and wash thoroughly. Shake the cabbage slices to separate the leaves as best as possible. Set aside.
• Peel and slice both the onion and garlic. Set aside.
• Remove the Canadian Bacon from the package and dice into cubes/slivers. Set aside.
• Open and drain the can of black-eyed peas. Set aside.
• In a large skillet with a lid, place two tablespoons of olive oil. Heat on medium-high heat. Open the Rice-a-Roni package and pour the rice into the skillet. Sautee the rice until golden/medium brown. Slowly and carefully add the hot water to the skillet. Add contents of the flavor packet and stir well. Reduce heat to lowest setting possible, cover, and cook until all liquid is absorbed (about 15-25 minutes).
• In a large pot, place butter and remaining olive oil. Heat on medium/high heat. Stir butter and olive oil together. Once the butter has melted, add the chopped onion, garlic, and Canadian Bacon. Sautee 3-5 minutes. Add the cayenne and parsley and stir. Add the black-eyed peas and stir. Cook the mixture for 1-2 minutes. Add the cabbage to the mixture and stir. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring the mixture every 5 minutes.
• After 15 minutes of cooking, give mixture one last stir, cover, turn burner off and let stand 5-10 minutes.
• Once the Rice-a-Roni is finished cooking, remove from heat and let stand 3-5 minutes.
• The dish may be assembled separately or the cooked Rice-a-Roni may be mixed directly into the cabbage and served as a complete meal. Leftovers should be mixed together and refridgerated in a small container. The dish reheats well and tastes better the next day. This makes it possible to prepare this dish a day in advance.