Dig Into This “Good Luck” Stew!
Do you know what “Hoppin’ John” is? Well I didn’t!
I didn’t know a thing about “Hoppin’ John” until my wife told me about it years ago. You are supposed to make it on New Year’s Day, and it will help ensure you have good luck in the year ahead!
The first written “receipt” for Hoppin’ John appeared in “The Carolina Housewife” (1847), and was written by Charlestonian Sarah Rutledge. The simple recipe called for one pound of bacon, one pint of peas and one pint of rice cooked in a single pot.
Well, I’ve made it on New Year’s Day every year since, so let’s get cooking!
Here are the ingredients:
2 tbl. butter or olive oil – I use both!
2 Shallots or 1 Onion
4 cloves garlic
1 cup of diced carrots
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 can black eyed peas
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus more as needed
6 oz. Canadian Bacon – or use a ham hock if you can find one!
Salt and pepper, to taste
Cayenne pepper, to taste
1 chopped tomato
White or brown rice, to serve underneath or in – your choice!
Here is my recipe, a variation on a terrific recipe from “The Pioneering Woman”:
Heat the butter or olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, red bell pepper, and carrot, and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the black eyed peas, the chopped tomato, chicken broth, Canadian bacon or ham as well as salt and pepper to taste.
Here’s a look at how I did it:
Bring the stew to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
“The Pioneering Woman” offered a few variations: you can add celery, increase or decrease the chicken stock to make it more or less of a stew, and add cayenne if you like a kick to your food!
First, we ate our Hoppin’ John this way, in a small bowl….later, we served it over white and brown rice, but you can also mix it in as well…either way it’s a delicious, healthy and positive way to start the year – at any time of year!
I have reported on “good luck” food before, prompted by a book I read about fortune cookies!
“Good luck food” is nothing new – in fact, there are “prosperity burgers” that people buy in Asia and “solid gold sushi” as well!
Click here to see that story!
I have shared my affinity for soups and stews, and here is one of my favorites:
I love squid stew, and if you try my recipe you will too!
Click here to see how easy and fun it is to make:
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this sounds like a good beginning to any year
John, your version of this classic recipe is terrific. I like your use of chunky vegetables and I I never thought of using Canadian Bacon as a substitute for a ham hock but I will definitely be using that idea in the future. Canadian Bacon is definitely a healthier alternative.
Thank you for the comment! I used CB because the place I was didn’t have access to a more traditional ham hock, which would have given a bit more flavor but it was still good – now let’s have that luck!
This soup sounds healthy and filling.
It is indeed Robbie! Thank you for sharing!