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HOPPIN JOHN (aka Carolina Peas And Rice) - Lindsay Jones, composer & sound designer (Top Secret)

"This is a traditional Southern dish, served over rice, that my family eats every New Years Day to ensure luck for the new year. The black eyed peas in the are supposed to represent coins, and then you serve it with collard greens which represents dollars, and cornbread which represents gold bars. If you do it right, you'll supposedly be rich in the new year! Or you may just enjoy a good meal with your family."
Prep Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine South American

Equipment

  • A couple of big pots
  • Stove

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb Blackeyed peas, rinsed and picked through
  • 2 large Spanish onions, one peeled and halved through the root, one medium diced
  • 2 Carrots
  • 4 Bay Leaves
  • Kosher Salt, to taste
  • 8 oz Bacon (cut into 1/4 inch strips)
  • 5 cloves Garlic, or more, smashed with the side of a knife
  • 2 tsp Ground Cumin
  • 1 tsp Finely Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 28 oz can Whole Peeled Tomatoes
  • 2 quarts Water

Instructions
 

  • Put the black eyed peas, the halved onion, the carrots and 3 bay leaves in a large pot. Cover it all with the water. Put the pot over high heat, bring it to a simmer, then turn the burner to medium low and continue to cook until the beans are tender, about 60 to 90 minutes. Add two or three teaspoons of salt midway through the cooking. (Add more water if the water level goes below the beans.) Make sure that you hang on to two cups of the cooking liquid. Strain the peas, picking out and discarding the onion, carrots and bay leaves.
  • While the peas are cooking: get a second big pot, and then cook the bacon in there over medium low heat until the fat is rendered and the bacon is browned.
  • Add the medium diced onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Cook over until the onion is softened and translucent and beginning to brown, five or ten minutes.
  • Add the cumin and black pepper, turn the burner to medium and stir to combine the seasonings with the onion.
  • Add the juice from the tomatoes first. Then take each tomato and squish it in your hand, like you're crushing it and then throw it all in the pot. (This is my children's favorite part. Be sure they squeeze over a big bowl before you put it in the pot, or you're gonna make a huge mess!)
  • Add the last bay leaf and then bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes or so to reduce and thicken the sauce.
  • Stir in the black eyed-peas, and cook to heat through. I like to let it all sit for a while at a low heat, just to maximize the flavor.

Notes

"OK, remember how I said to hang on to the liquid that you cooked the beans in? That liquid is going to be your new best friend when you make this. If you end up cooking the sauce too long, you can use this liquid to rehydrate it so that it's the right consistency. Also, if you make this dish the night before, you can put it in the fridge and then use some of that liquid to rehydrate it when you're warming it up on the stuff. Just hang on to that liquid, it's gonna save you when you need it. Also, be very careful with the black eyed peas once they're cooked! When you add the peas to the sauce, you can let it all simmer on the stove and gain more flavor, but stir it carefully! If you stir too hard, you can turn the peas into mush, and nobody wants that."
Keyword Can be made vegetarian if you skip bacon, Dairy-free, Gluten-free