It's been ages since I've taken part in the #readcookeat challenge because there have just been no mentions of food in the latest books I've been reading. When a description of a local dish came up in the book I'd just finished reading, The Hurricane Sisters by Dorothea Benton Frank, I squealed and immediately marked the page ! (You can see my review of The Hurricane Sisters here.)
The book takes place in South Carolina Lowcountry, which is the coastal area and islands of the state. Wikipedia has an article on Lowcountry Cuisinewhich includes such dishes as Sweet Potato & Crab Soup, Shrimp & Grits, Charleston Red Rice and Frogmore Stew (also known as shrimp boil and, you'll be pleased to know, nothing to do with frogs !).
Here's the paragraph that had me running for my post-it notes :
(p104) "Clayton and I tried to go every year just to watch all the participants in their crazy costumes run into the freezing water. Then we'd walk along Middle Street where all the restaurants had set up tables right on the street and have a plate of hoppin' John and collards for good luck. Eating collards on New Year's Day was to ensure money in the coming year. Greens bring green? Hoppin' John was a Lowcountry dish that ensured further good fortune. It was made of field peas and chopped onions cooked with smoked ham hocks. The watery juice from the pot of peas and onions, which we call pot liquor, was used to cook rice. Then, when the rice was tender, the peas and onions were combined with the rice. Was it delicious? No, it was earthy and nutty but not exactly delicious.However, it was traditional to eat it and Charlestonians were just superstitious enough to never change a tradition.This particular ritual was a good thing for a lot of reasons, not the least of which was that this particular one told you who you were. No one in their right mind would crave a bowl of hoppin' John except the sons and daughters of the Lowcountry. Maisie always said that knowing who you were and where you belonged was one component of good mental health. I believed that too."
Well, I may not be a daughter of the Lowcountry but it still sounded pretty good to me!Wikipedia is again very helpful in giving different recipe suggestions for this dish - I could substitute mustard greens, turnip greens, chard, kale, cabbage etc - anything that evokes the colour of American dollar bills really - for the collard greens (which is just as well as I've never seen them in the shops). The field peas are a smaller version of black-eyed peas and many people use bacon or country sausage for the ham hock. Other variations include adding green pepper or vinegar and spices. If you serve it up the day after New Year's Day, it is apparently called Skippin' Jenny !
Hoppin' John & Collards
3 cups dried beans (traditionally black eyed peas but I used chick peas)
2 onions
6 rashers bacon
2 cups rice
2 cups kale
I also added :
1/2 bag frozen Chinese veg
1 garlic Knorr Stock Pot
1 herb Knorr Stock Pot
1 vegetable Knorr Stock Pot
a dollop of Chipotle & Cola Tabasco Sauce
Soak the beans for several hours, rinse and drain. Put the beans in a pot of water with the onions. I added the three Knorr stock pots here to inject some extra flavour. Cook for 30-40 minutes, topping up the water if necessary. Ten minutes before the end of the cooking time, add the chopped kale and Chinese veg.
Now, you should use the cooking water from the beans/onions to cook some rice but firstly, the water had almost all been soaked up by the beans and secondly, I had some leftover cooked Kingston curry rice from my Jamaican Jerk chicken meal, so I added that. I originally planned on using bacon lardons and putting them in with the beans to cook, but the Madhouse kids wanted a bacon sandwich so I ended up using rashers and cooking them separately instead !
It was actually very nice - admittedly not something that I'd pick in a restaurant but a lovely winter warmer all the same.
FAQs
This might seem like an unusual addition if you're new to making collard greens, but the vinegar adds a welcome tangy note that brightens the dish and balances out the salty, savory flavors. A tablespoon of sugar also helps balance out the greens' potential bitterness.
What is traditional Hoppin John? ›
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 cowpeas, mainly, black-eyed peas and Sea Island red peas in the Sea Islands and iron and clay peas in the Southeast US, and rice, chopped onion, and sliced bacon, seasoned with salt.
What are Hoppin John leftovers called? ›
Conventional theories notwithstanding, none of this explains why, on the day after New Years, the leftover portions of a Hoppin' John are called Skippin' Jenny.
What is the difference between Hoppin John and black-eyed peas? ›
What's the difference between Hoppin' John and black-eyed peas? Hoppin' John has black-eyed peas in it, but it also has other ingredients. In this recipe, the black-eyed peas are stewed with onion, garlic, celery, and a ham hock, similar to how some Southern-style black-eyed peas would be cooked.
What takes the bitterness out of collard greens? ›
The foods that help reduce bitterness are:
- Salt while cooking and/or while eating (like on bitter salad greens)
- Sweet or Spicy.
- Sour or Acids like lemon or vinegar.
- Long cooking like braising (think southern collard greens that are cooked for hours)
- Blanch first.
In the case of collard greens, baking soda's utility is threefold, serving as a flavor enhancer, a tenderizer, and a color protector. Baking soda is an alkali salt possessing the tenderizing and flavor-enhancing properties of regular salt.
When should I eat Hoppin John? ›
And our tastiest superstitious tradition is eating Hoppin' John on New Year's Day. This classic Southern dish, a one-pot meal of black-eyed peas, ham hock, and rice, is believed by many (not just the Sterlings) to ensure wealth and bring good luck in the upcoming year.
What is the penny in Hoppin John? ›
hoppin' John was, and still is, often eaten with collard greens, which can resemble paper money, and “golden” cornbread. The peas themselves represent coins. Some families boost the potential of their hoppin' John by placing a penny underneath the dishes—or adding extra pork, which is thought to bring more luck.
What is the Southern name for black-eyed peas? ›
In the Southern United States, eating black-eyed peas or Hoppin' John (a traditional soul food) on New Year's Day is thought to bring prosperity in the new year.
What would you eat with Hoppin John? ›
Hoppin' John is traditionally served with collard greens, whose green color symbolizes wealth. The black-eyed peas are symbolic of coins (more good fortune), and an actual coin is sometimes added to the pot. This is where eating black-eyed peas on New Year's came from.
You can refer to food that has not been eaten after a meal as leftovers. Refrigerate any leftovers.
In which state are you most likely to be served a bowl of Hoppin John? ›
Native to the South Carolina low country, Hoppin' John is a classic Southern New Year's dish, but where does the name come from, and why is eating it considered good luck? These questions have intrigued southerners, cooks and food historians for nearly two hundred years.
What is another name for Hoppin John? ›
Hoppin' John is also known to many as Carolina Peas and Rice. Gullah or Low Country cuisine reflects the cooking of the Carolinas, especially the Sea islands (a cluster of islands stretching along the coats of South Carolina and northern Georgia).
Who eats Hoppin John? ›
Hoppin' John is a savory one-pot meal made of rice, pork, and cowpeas. Folks in the Southern United States most famously eat it. New Year's Day it's served to symbolize prosperity.
Are navy beans and black-eyed peas the same? ›
Navy beans have no vitamin A in them whatsoever, while black-eyed peas have 1,305 international units of vitamin A in one cup. The large amount of vitamin A in black-eyed peas can help skin and eye health, but navy beans do not offer these benefits. Navy beans contain significantly more calcium than black-eyed peas.
Does vinegar take the bitterness out of greens? ›
Acids, like vinegar and citrus juice, help to brighten up bitter greens and provide a light contrasting flavor.
How do you make can collards taste better? ›
Seasoning is key to elevating canned collard greens. A combination of smoked paprika, a little sugar, and black pepper works wonders. For an extra layer of flavor, consider adding a smoked turkey leg or bacon bits while they simmer. This method infuses the greens with a rich, smoky essence that's hard to resist.
What to do if I put too much vinegar in my greens? ›
- If you have added too much vinegar to your recipe, don't panic. There are some simple ways to balance the acidity and save your dish. ...
- - Add some sugar or honey to the dish. Sugar and honey can counteract the sourness of vinegar and add some sweetness to the dish. ...
- - Add some baking soda to the dish. Bakin.
