General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: We Eat Black-Eyed Peas on New Year's Day [View all]Snobblevitch
(1,958 posts)but since I like to cook, I ran across this dish a few years ago. If you like bean soup, you will probably like Hoppin' John.
As I indicated upthread, we didn't eat it with rice and I make it a little soupy.
Black-eyed peas are a bit more 'earthy' than beans.
Here is a recipe that may not be authentic (and I'm not a huge fan of lagasse
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/hoppin-john-recipe.html
but it is easy to make.)
I add diced carrots. Also, it is not needed to soak the peas. I just cook them with the smoked meat, ham bone, ham hock, sausage, or as I mentioned upthread, smoked turkey tails (Cub freezer section).
I then sauté the the vegetables, add the pea cooking liquid and simmer for about 20 minutes and then add the cooked peas and smoked meat.
I sometimes also just sauté the vegetables and add everything to a slow cooler unti the peas are tender. Conversely, I sauté the vegetables in a pressure cooker, add everything else and cook it at 15psi for about 20 - 30 minutes.
As I said before, we eat it more like a rustic stew without the rice (don't need extra carbs).
We have no tradition with this dish. It just tastes good, is easy to make, and freezes ok. When reheating, make sure to keep an eye on it because the peas can turn mushy.