Carolina Hoppin’ John Recipe
Take a trip to the Carolinas with this very easy to make classic Hoppin’ John recipe that is jam-packed with peas, beans, and thick-cut bacon!
Hoppin’ John is a traditional one-pot African American dish that originated in South Carolina from African slave descendants. It’s a very hearty dish and in its original intent, incredibly simple to prepare.
Ingredients for this recipe:
• 2 cups of cowpeas
• 1 pound thick-cut bacon, sliced into 1” pieces
• 1 peeled small diced yellow onion
• 4 medium diced celery stalks
• 2 peeled medium diced carrots
• 2 finely minced cloves of garlic
• 8 cups chicken stock
• 5 sprigs fresh thyme
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 cups long-grain rice
• 3 cups packed torn collard leaves, stems removed
• sea salt and pepper to taste
Serves 10
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Soaking Time: 12 hours
Procedures:
1. Add the beans to a container and pour in water until it is about 6” over the beans. Cover and set aside overnight or for at least 12 hours.
2. The next day, drain and rinse the beans, and set aside.
3. In a large pot add in the bacon over medium-low heat and cook until the bacon is browned but not completely crisp.
4. Remove the bacon and set aside. Drain off about ½ of the rendered bacon fat and then turn the heat down to low.
5. Add in the onions, celery, carrots, and garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes just to quickly and gently sweat/sauté them.
6. Next, add in the soaked cowpeas, chicken stock, thyme, pepper flakes, salt, and pepper, and cook for 45-60 minutes over low to medium heat or until soft and tender.
7. Stir in the rice and collards, cover with a lid and cook over low heat for another 25-30 minutes or until the rice is cooked and the liquid is absorbed.
8. Serve with optional sliced green onions.
Chef Notes:
Make-Ahead: This is meant to be eaten when it is finished cooking but you can make it up to 3-4 hours before serving by simply keeping it warm over very low heat and cover until ready to serve.
How to Store: Cover and keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This will freeze well covered for up to 3 months. Be sure to thaw for 1 day in the refrigerator before reheating.
How to Reheat: Add the desired amount of hoppin’ john to a medium-size pot along with a few tablespoons of chicken stock and heat over low heat until warm. You may also heat it in the microwave.
If you do not want to soak the beans all night you can bring them to a boil with water in a large pot and then let them sit for an hour. You also have the option of not soaking the beans at all.
You do not need to use vinegar at the end of the recipe, but it does provide balance to the overall flavor.
Be sure to not cook the cowpeas rapidly because you want them to keep the shape and not turn into mush.
RED LENTIL SIDE DISH | Vegetarian Recipe!
#weekendatthecottage #easydeliciousrecipes #redlentils
For the full recipe:
This tangy RED LENTIL SIDE DISH is a tasty addition when served next to fish, lamb or your favourite poultry.
Many of the books I’ve been reading lately suggest adding legumes to our diets. These include peas, beans, carob, soybeans and lentils. We’re also supposed to be eating more peanuts too, which are, in fact, legumes and not nuts.
These wondrous nutritional powerhouses are a significant source of protein, dietary fiber, healthy fats and carbohydrates. I’ll admit it: I’m just not eating enough of them. Solution: this red lentil recipe. Better still, we’ve crafted this recipe for all the vegans out there. OK, friends we gotta eat this!
This recipe comes together in about 40 minutes, and I love the heady aromas of spiced red lentils that fill my kitchen each time I make it. I also like the colour of stewed red lentils and their distinctively bright, spicy flavours that heighten with the final squeeze of lemon. All in all, a seriously solid side dish.
Here are some suggestions for when you go make it:
LENTILS
I specifically chose red lentils for their colour and I like how they keep their shape when cooked. Although you can try the recipe with green or yellow lentils, I say, stick with red. I also suggest that you always rinse your lentils a few times in cold water before starting the recipe. Who knows where they’ve been!
TENDERNESS
Try to chop the parsnips and carrots into equal-sized chunks. This will help them cook evenly and reach that perfect tenderness. The natural sweetness of these two root vegetables add a wonderful counterbalance to the heat of the ginger and jalapeño too.
YOU'RE TOO SHY SHY!
Don’t be shy with the fresh garlic and ginger; in fact, err on the side of more – you won’t be disappointed by the bold flavour profile. Same goes for the jalapeño. The last few times I’ve made this RED LENTIL SIDE DISH, I used larger-than-normal peppers and haven’t been disappointed.
SEEDS AND BROTH
If you can, toast and fresh-grind your cumin seeds. This will give the dish a pleasing aroma plus add an extra kick to the spicy flavour profile.
With regard to the vegetable broth, add less than the recipe calls for. Then, keep adding small amounts only as needed. The goal is to end up with a side dish that remains moist but not runny.
Last few things about this recipe: don’t forget to remove the lentils from the heat and allow them to sit covered for ten minutes before serving. After that crucial step, you just need to add the lemon juice, stir and garnish. Finally, serve them proudly with some of our delicious mains like our EASY ROAST CHICKEN, our GRILLED LAMB CHOPS or our BARBECUED SALMON.
A winning combination of fabulous flavours come together in this RED LENTIL SIDE DISH. This one you just gotta try!
INGREDIENTS
2 cups red lentils, rinsed
1 Vidalia onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 parsnips, peeled and chopped
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded, finely chopped
1 can (5.5 oz.) of tomato paste
2 tablespoons ground cumin
4 cups vegetable broth, adding more as needed
2 teaspoons coconut oil
1 small lemon, juiced
garnish, chopped flat-leaf parsley
salt and pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
1) In a large pot, heat coconut oil over medium heat. Cook onion until translucent, stirring occasionally,, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic, ginger and jalapeño. Stir and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add carrots and parsnips and stir until mixed.
2) Add tomato paste and cumin, stirring until fragrant.
3) Add lentils and enough vegetable stock to almost cover the vegetables. Stir and bring to a boil.
4) Cover, reduce to a simmer and allow to cook for 20-25 minutes, adding more stock as needed to maintain a wet mixture.
5) Once cooked, remove from heat and allow to sit covered for 10 minutes. Add lemon juice and stir gently. Transfer to service piece, garnish with chopped parsley and serve.
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