Hey there,Hoppin' John on New Year's Day is a wonderful tradition! In the South, we believe it will bring good luck and prosperity all year long. This is an easy recipe that I have used over the years.Hoppin' John Recipe
As we turn the page on the 2023 Christmas Season, our minds quickly turn to The New Year! And, I want to help you be ready for 2024! EatingIngredients:
About 6-8 slices of bacon 1 small chopped onion
1 small chopped sweet red bell pepper 2-3 cloves minced garlic
½ teaspoon smoked paprika 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano Salt and Pepper to taste
2 cups cooked black-eyed peas (If using canned, rinse and drain.)
2 cups chicken broth + a splash cup uncooked rice
Directions:
- In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crispy. Drain it on a paper towel, but leave about 2 tablespoons of drippings in the skillet.
- Sautee the chopped onion and sweet red bell pepper in the bacon drippings for about 4 minutes, and add the minced garlic for the last minute of cooking. Be careful not to overcook; you want the vegetables to be crisp, and you don't want to burn the garlic.
- Stir in the smoked paprika, dried thyme, dried oregano, salt, and pepper to taste.
- Add the cooked black-eyed peas and a splash of chicken broth to the skillet. Simmer this mixture while you prepare the rice.
- Cook the rice as you normally would, but replace half of the water called for with chicken broth for added flavor.
- Once the rice is cooked, stir it into the black-eyed pea mixture in the skillet.
- Serve the Hoppin' John with crumbled bacon on top. And, don't forget to enjoy it with some collard greens on the side!