Hoppin’ with John* into 2011
At around noon on New Year’s Day, I came across the tradition of eating black-eyed peas (which are legumes, not peas, and of course the name of a pop music group of such literary hits as “My Humps” and the Tagalog track “Bebot”). Good luck in the new year comes by way of Hoppin’ John, a dish that is popular in the southern United States. It appears that the rice-and-beans meal was eaten by enslaved West Africans on Carolina rice plantations, resembling some of their native dishes. Traditionally, a coin was placed in the pot of beans, and whoever found it would have luck all year. Why the name of hoppin’ John? No one seems to know for sure.
As is true for many peasant meals, cheap ingredients and meat scraps were resourcefully transformed into meals worthy of celebrations. Field peas or black eyed peas and rice provided long-lasting sustenance while pork bits such as smoked ham hocks, jowl, or bacon imparted satisfying flavor. Traditionally, hoppin’ john is served with collard greens. The bitter, tough leaves of the greens were cooked down, low and slow (often with pork scraps), resulting in a side of soft leaves and juices (called “pot likker”) to be sopped up by the rice or cornbread.
Hoppin’ John felt like the perfect New Year’s Day meal for me, not just because I need the luck after a less-than-stellar 2010, but also because I hope to be more mindful of my resources by spending less, cooking more, and living more simply. It was also a good reason for me to use the cast-iron casserole/dutch oven that I got over the holidays! I created my own version of the dish, using fresh pork chorizo sausage from my local co-op (at less than $3 for two sausages, a cheap way to incorporate strong, smoky flavor), canned black-eyed peas, and adding the collard greens directly to the pot. Other recipes I have seen include a range of meats and vegetables (e.g., celery, carrots, green pepper). I didn’t have any flavored broth on hand, so I cheated with some instant chicken boullion and hot water. Like most folk cooking, the ingredients and the directions are imprecise but the yield and the satisfaction are substantial. Although hoppin’ John is a meal traditionally eaten on New Year’s Day, this is an easy one-pot meal that would warm any cold winter day.
Hoppin’ John with Chorizo Sausage and Collard Greens
4-6 servings
- 2 fresh ground chorizo sausages (or some other meat that will lend deep flavor to the stew, such as bacon, smoked ham hock, pork jowl)
- 1 medium to large onion, chopped
- 2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 bunch collard greens, stems removed and chopped into strips
- 1 can black-eyed peas
- 1 cup long-grain rice
- 2-3 cups chicken broth
- Several sprigs of fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dry thyme
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- Salt, to taste
1. In a large pot, dutch oven, or casserole, sautee onions, garlic, and thyme in olive oil over medium heat.
2. Remove the casing from the sausage and add to the onions and garlic. Break meat apart into smaller chunks as it cooks.
3. Add chopped collard greens to the pot and mix. Cook greens down about 10-15 minutes.
4. Add black-eyed peas, rice, and broth. How much broth you will use will depend on the texture you want for the rice, with less broth for more firm rice. When I made this, I used 4 cups and it ended up being a too mushy and the leftovers were even mushier as more water was absorbed by the rice. You may want to start with 2 cups and check after 10-15 minutes whether the mixture is getting too dry (you don’t want it to stick to the bottom). Cook at a low simmer for 20-30 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt.
Serve with hot sauce, a dash of vinegar, or a squirt of lemon juice. Or if you’re feeling adventurous like me, kim-chi.
p.s. This could easily be a gluten-free dish. However, note that some commercial sausages contain bread or wheat protein as filler and artisan sausage makers often use bread to clean out their meat grinders which may result in small flecks of bread in the sausage.
*Technically, I hopped with Essbee.
