Sunday, January 1, 2012

Kitchen Diary 2012 - Hoppin' John


Hoppin’ John.

Traditionally served on New Year’s Day for good luck.

Flash back to last year at 9:30 in the evening.

1 Tablespoon kosher salt

1 cup black eye’d peas

2 cups water.

Put everything into a bowl or Pyrex measuring cup. Soak until soft (you’ll have to bite into one). Drain.

½ cup (or so) of a finely-chopped onion

3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

2 small bay leaves

A 1-inch slice of ham hock

- Cook the onion in olive oil enhanced with red pepper and Aleppo pepper flakes, until soft.

- Add beans, hock of ham, bay leaves

- Cover with water until covered by a half inch

- Bring to a low simmer, toss in a few glugs of hot sauce, cover

- Cook until soft and velvety

Serve with rice:

In a small saucepan: take one andouille sausage, chopped, and sauté in some olive oil with some Aleppo pepper. Add ½ cup Basmati rice and continue to sauté until the rice gets a little toasty. Add a cup of water, along with a smashed and peeled garlic clove.

Let the water come to a boil. Give a quick stir. Reduce heat to low. Cover and let cook for 20 minutes.

Will there be good luck in the following year? And if so, for whom? Do not ponder this while enjoying the Hoppin’ John. This year, it turned out perfect. We’ll remember this lovely moment as the year progresses.

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