Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Hoppin' John

This is another one of those "Holiday Dishes" that we will be having throughout the year. This recipe is modified from a HJ recpie at Tasty Kitchen by MissAmy.

1 1/2 cups dried black-eyed peas
8 cups water, divided
3 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 smoked ham hock
6 slices bacon
1 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups long grain white rice, uncooked
chicken broth (optional)

Place peas, 6 cups water, salt and pepper, and ham hock in a large covered pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook until peas are tender, 1 1/2 - 2 hours. 30 minutes before the peas are done, fry bacon until crispy, and drain on paper towels. Saute chopped onion in bacon grease until tender but do not discard the grease. When peas are done, carefully remove the ham hock. Add crumbled bacon, sauteed onions and bacon grease, rice, and 2 cups hot water. Mix well and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently to prevent sticking on the bottom of the pot. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking on the bottom of the pot. If you wish to add more liquid to your Hoppin' John serving, add a few tablespoons of chicken broth. This works especially well when re-heating left-over servings that have been refrigerated.