In this video from BettysKitchen, Betty demonstrates how to make a traditional Southern dish, New Year's Day Hoppin' John. This is a dish that consists mainly of black-eye peas, rice, onions, and ham. It is to be eaten on New Year's Day, in order to bring a prosperous new year. This is her own version of Hoppin' John, and she has designed it to meet the requirements of the traditional dish, yet taste wonderful!
Ingredients:
½ stick butter or margarine, melted
¾ cup chopped onion
(2) 10 ½ oz. soup cans beef broth
(1) 10 ½ oz. soup can long grain white rice, uncooked
(2) 15 oz. cans black-eye peas
(2) 5 oz. cans of Hormel smoked chunked ham, cut into cubes (or equivalent)
salt and pepper to taste, optional (Salt will probably not be needed, as almost all ingredients are salted.)
Place ¾ cup chopped onion in a small saucepan containing ½ stick melted butter. Saute the onions over low heat until clear and caramelized. Meanwhile, empty the 2 cans of beef broth and 1 soup can of white rice into a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover, reduce heat, and cook for 14 to 15 minutes, until almost all beef broth is absorbed by the rice. When the onions are sautéed, and the rice is cooked, you may start assembling your Hoppin John. In a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven, combine sautéed onions, cooked rice, 2 cans black-eye peas, and 2 cans smoked ham. Salt and pepper, if desired. Mix thoroughly, and place over medium heat until the mixture boils. Reduce heat, and simmer about 5 minutes. Pour the Hoppin John mixture into a large serving bowl. Place a coin under the serving bowl for good luck. Serve on individual plates, along with cooked greens, and Onion and Cheddar Cheese Cornsticks, and a cold glass of iced tea!
The greens are served as part of the tradition of increasing your prosperity during the up-coming year. Betty hopes you enjoy this recipe! Happy New Year to all!
On the day after New Year's Day, leftover "Hoppin' John" is called "Skippin' Jenny," and further demonstrates one's frugality, bringing a hope for an even better chance of prosperity in the New Year.
One tradition common in the USA is that each person at the meal should leave three peas on their plate to ensure that the New Year will be filled with luck, fortune and romance. Another tradition holds that counting the number of peas in a serving predicts the amount of luck (or wealth) that the diner will have in the coming year.
The chef Sean Brock claims that traditional Hoppin' John was made with the now-extinct Carolina gold rice, and Sea Island Red Beans.
Wendy Mason is a career coach. She helps people reach their goals and aspirations, without sacrificing their home and personal life. Before working as a coach, Wendy had a long career in both the public and private sectors in general management and consultancy as well as spells in HR. She now divides her time between coaching and writing. You can contact Wendy at wendymason@wisewolfcoaching.com and find out more at http://wisewolfcoaching.com
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