*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=* Horry County Museum Recipes of Yesteryear Southern Style – August 26, 2003 (September Show) *=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=* ========================= Hoppin John with Hog Jowl ========================= 2 cups of cow peas or black-eyed peas, soaked overnight 1/2 lb. smoked hog jowl salt pepper 1 cup rice 1) Drain and rinse peas in a colander. Set in a large pot with the hog jowl. Cover with 8 cups of water. Add salt and pepper to taste and boil until peas are tender. 2) Remove jowl. Cut off skin and discard. Cut meat into small pieces. Reserve. 3) Drain peas, reserving cooking liquid. 4) Put 1 cup of cooked peas in a pot with the rice and 2 1/2 cups of cooking liquid. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook until rice is tender. 5) While rice is cooking, fry jowl pieces until crisp. Drain and reserve. 6) On a serving platter, combine peas-rice mixture, remaining peas, and cooking liquid. Place fried jowl pieces on top. Yield 8-10 servings. Southerners sometimes put a bit of collard greens or cabbage into the Hoppin' John and serve it with cornbread, saying the peas stand for coins, the greens for cash and the cornbread for gold, all of which will come if this is the first thing eaten in the New Year. Virginians are known for adding tomatoes, "for health." Some say this custom of something or someone bringing good luck at the very start of the New Year is an ancient British custom called First Footing. A recent cookbook now includes a Hoppin' John recipe made with sausage in place of ham jowl or ham hocks, as part of Kwanzaa celebrations. The USA Rice Council recipe is a traditional recipe, using ham hocks. They have also prepared a recipe using cabbage, calling it Hot Hoppin John Salad. For those who want to hurry the pea-cooking process, the Good Housekeeping recipe is one for a large gathering at a New Year's brunch. If you'd like to try a modern Kentucky Version, it is provided online for his constituents by U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell, and it allows for the use of both bacon and frozen black- eyed peas. Because it is delicious, simple to follow, and has ingredients easily kept on hand, I've adapted it as follows: ============================= Modern Kentucky Hoppin John ============================= 1 package frozen blackeye peas 2 slices bacon, raw, cut in half sideways 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper 1/2 cup rice 1 cup chicken broth salt Following package directions, bring water (3/4 cup) to a boil, then add the frozen peas. Bring again to the boil, add the bacon and the crushed red pepper flakes, cover, turn heat low and simmer for 30 minutes. Continue cooking the peas, adding water if necessary. Bring broth to a boil and add the raw rice. Cook rice, covered, over low heat and when rice is almost done, add to the pea mixture. Simmer this together about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until water is absorbed and peas and rice are both tender. Add salt to taste. 4-6 Servings. ================================= Hoppin John with Smoked Ham Hock ================================= 2 cups of fresh Dixie Lee Peas or Field Peas 2 Whole Smoked Ham Hocks salt pepper 1 cup rice 1) Pick and rinse peas in a colander. Set in a large pot with the ham hock. Cover with 4 cups of water. Add salt and pepper to taste and bring to boil for about 10 minutes. 2) Add rice and continue cooking for about 15minutes until the majority of the liquid is absorbed and the peas are tender. 3) Remove ham hocks and spoon out rice and peas into serving bowl. Place hocks on top of rice and serve with corn bread and hot pepper vinegar. Yield 4-6 servings. =================== Another Hoppin John =================== 4 Bacon Strips 1/2 cup Onion, diced 1/2 cup Red Bell pepper, diced 2 cups Fresh Dixie Lee peas or Field Peas (or Black-eyed peas later in the seaon) 1/2 cup white rice 2 cups water Salt and pepper to taste Dice bacon, brown in heavy skillet with onion and peppers until bacon is crisp and vegetables are tender. Add peas and rice, then water. Cover and simmer over low heat about 20 minutes until the rice is tender. Season to taste with salt, pepper or hot sauce.