Hoppin' John

By carvalhohm

Hoppin' John, also known as Carolina Peas and Rice is a peas and rice dish served in the Southern United States. It is made with black-eyed peas and rice, chopped onion, sliced bacon, and seasoned with salt.

Ingredients

• 4 slices uncooked Canadian-style bacon, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 small uncooked red onion, finely chopped, about 1 cup
• 1 cup dry black-eyed peas
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 3/4 cup uncooked white rice, long grain-variety
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt

Preparation

Step 1

Place a Dutch oven (a large, covered pot) over medium-high heat; add bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 3 minutes. Remove bacon; set aside. Add onion to bacon drippings and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.

Sort through peas; discard any debris. Place peas in a colander in sink and rinse under cold water; add peas to Dutch oven. Add reserved bacon, red pepper, black pepper and 4 cups of water; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and partially cover Dutch oven; simmer until peas are almost tender, about 2 hours. Stir in rice and salt. Cover completely and cook until rice and peas are tender, about 20 minutes. Yields about 3/4 cup per serving.

Notes:

Vary the recipe by adding a small chopped green pepper with the onion.