Almost every year, I bake a ham for Christmas so that I can have the bone for New Year’s Day. Of course, this year I roasted a goose, so I had no ham bone. Luckily, my good friend Stevie Lewis saved me the bone from his family’s Christmas ham. From this bone, I make Hoppin John, an old Southern dish of black-eyed peas, ham, and rice. With it, I serve steamed Kale and cornbread.
There is quite a long tradition with this meal. The black-eyed peas are said to represent coins, the kale is green like money, and the cornbread is golden to represent gold. Eating this for New Year’s Day is supposed to bring good fortune for the New Year.
Well, it might not bring any more money into your purse, but it is very economical. It’s a break for all the heavy holiday foods. It’s also very good for you. Black-eyed peas are high in protein, iron, zinc, and potassium. Kale has anti-cancer properties. Cornbread, if you don’t put tons of butter on it, is also good for you.
Hoppin John
You can make this either in a good dutch oven, or you can make it in a slow cooker. If you want to make it in the slow cooker, understand that black-eyed peas do not take anywhere near as long to cook as other dried beans.
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Hoppin’ John
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Ingredients
Beans
- 1 Onion chopped
- ⅓ Green pepper chopped
- ⅓ Red Bell Pepper chopped
- ⅓ Yellow bell pepper chopped
- 1 teaspoon Bacon fat
- 1 Hambone
- 1 pound Black eyed peas dry
- 1 teaspoon Zatarain’s Creole Seasoning
- 1 quart Water
Rice
- 1 cup Jasmine Rice
- 2 cup Water
- 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
Extras
- Trappey’s Hot Peppers
- Louisiana Hot Sauce, Crystal is a good choice
- Sour Cream
- Corn Bread
- Steamed Kale
Instructions
- In a deep heavy pot, sauté the onions and peppers in the bacon fat until the onions are translucent. Add the ham bone, black-eyed peas, water, and seasoning. The water should cover the beans completely – add more water as needed. Reduce heat and cover. Simmer for about 2 1/2 hours, or until the beans have completely softened. Cut some of the meat away from the bone and mix it in well.
- To make the rice, put the rice, water, butter, and salt into a heavy pan. Cover and simmer until the rice has absorbed all the water, about 20 minutes.
- When the rice is done, serve the beans over the rice, and offer the other ingredients to those who wish them.
Notes
You can add a little smoke flavoring if you want.
Nutrition
Steamed Kale
My former boss, and friend, Adel, gave me this recipe a long time ago.
Don’t be afraid of eating kale, it’s really good for you and very tasty.
Kale is very high in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, lutein, and zeaxanthin, and reasonably rich in calcium. Kale, as with broccoli and other brassicas, contains sulforaphane (particularly when chopped or minced), a chemical with potent anti-cancer properties. Boiling decreases the level of sulforaphane; however, steaming, microwaving, or stir frying do not result in significant loss. Along with other brassica vegetables, kale is also a source of indole-3-carbinol, a chemical that boosts DNA repair in cells and appears to block the growth of cancer cells. Kale is also a good source of carotenoids.
Wikipedia Kale
By the way, did you know that the “decorative” cabbages you see in landscapes are actually kale, and are perfectly good to eat?
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Steamed Kale
If you purchase any of the products through these affiliate links, I get a few pennies that help keep The Good Plate open. I use these products myself and want you to be able to easily find them.
Ingredients
- 1 bunch Kale , torn
- 1 teaspoon Cider Vinegar
Instructions
- Put the kale into a plastic bag, and microwave it for 3 minutes.
- Remove from the microwave, pour on the vinegar, and toss.
Notes
Kale is particularly good with beans.
Variations
You can omit the vinegar if desired, or add butter.
Nutrition
Cornbread with Nuggets
I love cornbread. Usually, I make sweet corn muffins, but, for this dish, cornbread with nuggets of corn, and mild green chilies does the trick.
If you think in terms of a year, plant a seed; if in terms of ten years, plant trees; if in terms of 100 years, teach the people.-Confucius
Thank you, Samantha, for the nice quote. It is certainly appropriate for the New Year!