Hoppin' John - My Favorite Rendition

My favorite rendition of Hoppin’ John ~
Here’s wishing you lots of luck in 2012!

Kosher salt
2 cups fresh black-eyed peas
1 cup long-grain white rice
Sea salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 red onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
4 scallions, minced (white and green parts)
1 jalapeno pepper, cored, seeded and minced
1-tablespoon fresh thyme
Freshly ground black pepper
1-cup tomato salsa
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup)
¼ cup fresh cilantro

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil and add salt. Add the black-eyed peas, lower the heat, and simmer for about 30 minutes, until they are tender. Drain the peas and transfer them to a large bowl.

Rinse the rice thoroughly in a fine-mesh strainer. Bring 1 ½ cups water to a boil over high heat in a medium saucepan. Add the rice, season it with salt, and stir to mix. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until all of the water is absorbed and the rice is fluffy. Turn off the heat, uncover, and fluff the rice with a fork.

While the rice is cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender and translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute, stirring constantly so that it doesn’t brown. Add the peas, parsley, bell pepper, scallions, jalapeno pepper, and thyme, and stir to mix. Season to taste with salt and pepper and sauté the vegetables over medium heat for about 3 minutes, until the peas are warmed through.

To serve, spoon the rice on a serving platter and spoon the pea mixture over the rice. Top with the salsa, then the crumbled goat cheese. Garnish with the fresh cilantro.

Serves 4 to 6

 

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