Recipes

Hoppin’ John Soup

  • Serves

    serves 8-10

TODD COLEMAN

This humble dish of black-eyed peas and rice makes good use of leftover ham scraps.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. dried black-eyed peas
  • 1 smoked ham bone or two hocks
  • 14 cup canola oil
  • 12 cup finely chopped cooked ham
  • 14 tsp. red chile flakes
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 jalapeño, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
  • 1 large carrot, finely chopped
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 1 rib celery, finely chopped
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 lb. collard greens, ribs removed, leaves roughly chopped
  • 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 5 cups cooked long-grain white rice
  • Chopped tomatoes and scallions, for garnish

Instructions

Step 1

Bring peas, ham bone, and 8 cups water to a boil in a 6-qt. Dutch oven. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, skimming foam occasionally, until peas are tender, about 45 minutes. Drain peas, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid along with ham bone; set aside.

Step 2

Heat oil in a 12-qt. pot over medium-high heat. Add chopped ham, chiles, garlic, jalapeños, carrot, onion, celery, and bay leaf and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 8 minutes. Add reserved black-eyed peas, ham bone, and reserved cooking liquid, along with collards and 12 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until collards are tender, about 1 hour. Stir in vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Spoon rice into bowls and ladle soup over rice and add garnishes.

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