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Hopping John

Make it on New Year’s Eve or even the day before. Flavor improves over time and hopping john reheats like a dream.  Serve with hot sauce for a happy, lucky, abundant New Year.
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup black eyed peas
  • 3 cups of water
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 1 dried hot pepper
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 cup brown rice
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 1 jalapeno chopped
  • 3 ribs celery chopped
  • 1 big bunch collard greens sliced into thin ribbons
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Soak beans in a bowl of cold water for 4 hours or up to overnight.  Drain peas.
  • In a large pot, bring 3 cups of water to boil over high heat.  Add black-eyed peas, 2 cloves of garlic (whole), pepper and bay leaf.  Skim off any floating beans.
  • Reduce heat to low.  Simmer beans uncovered for an hour and a half until beans are tender, not mushy.
  • Add brown rice and the vegetable broth.  Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.  Turn off the heat, but leave the pot on the burner.
  • Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion, jalapeno, celery and the remaining 4 garlic cloves, chopped.  Saute for about 5 minutes, stirring, until the vegetables soften.
  • Reduce heat to medium. Add greens by the handful, and cook until wilted, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
  • Fluff rice and beans, remove whole garlic, dried pepper and bay leaf.  Fold in collard mixture.  Squeeze in lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.