It’s not too late for PEAS!

Okay, I know I missed New Year’s for this recipe but that doesn’t mean it’s too late! Beans and peas are awesome additions to hearty winter menus. There’s something about the way they get all gloppy and make thier own gravy that, while a little gross-looking, makes you want to settle down with them, a big spoon, and a piece of cornbread and make smacky noises before digging in.

We grew up eating all sorts of bean permutations: Black Beans and Yellow Rice; Red Beans and Rice with Andouille; Split Pea Soup; Ham Navy Bean Stew; and, of course Hoppin’ John. Those dishes feel intrinsically Southern and homey to me. Imagine my despair when Beth disclosed, early in our relationship, that she did not like, would not, could not with a fox, eat beans. For awhile I just sadly avoided making them. Then, as our first New Year’s rolled around and with it the traditional time for Hoppin’ John, I decided to make a big batch for myself and let her live on Kraft Macaroni Dinner for a few days. To my genuine suprise, she not only tried them but loved them. She’s been on the bean train ever since (and has readily declared that I could make Black Beans and Yellow Rice for dinner every week and she’d be happy).

Now magazines are all the time trying to fancy up bean dishes but for the classics I see no need. So here, even though New Year’s has passed, is my basic recipe for Hoppin’ John. Make it with a batch of cornbread and a side of greens and embrace the joy of the gloppy “comfort food.”

Totally Easy Hoppin’ John
8-10 servings

1 – 1 1/2 lb ham hock (If you have butcher shop, get it from there. The ham hocks I get from my butcher are SO much better than the ones I get from the grocery store. And the butcher will crack it for you if you ask.)

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic minced

1 T olive oil

1 16oz pkg of dried black eye peas

2 1/2 to 3 cans chicken broth

1T crushed red pepper

salt and pepper to taste

cooked white rice (for a main dish I like about 1 to 1 1/2 c cooked rice per person)

hot sauce

In a big dutch oven heat the oil over medium heat and sautee the garlic and onions until the onions are translucent, about 3-5 minutes.

Add the hamhock, dried beans, broth, crushed red pepper, and salt and pepper. (I start with about 2t salt and go from there.) Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours.

When your timer beeps, take the ham hock out, return the lid to your dutch oven and turn the heat to low. Check your seasoning now and add more as necessary.

Chop the meat off the bone which, in our house, goes to the dog (the bone, not the meat). Once you’ve chopped the meat, dump it back into the beans. If you’d like to cook down the gravy a bit, now’s the time. Just turn the heat up to a simmer and leave the lid off the beans while you make your rice to thicken the gravy.

When your rice is done, you’re ready to serve it smothered with the beans and gravy. We take ours with a healthy dose of that vinegary delight, Tabasco.

 mmmMM! So good you’ll have to slap your Aunt Tillie.