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 |  |  ready to add water & simmer |  ready to simmer |
 turkey after abt 4 hours |  add spinach |  add turkey back | |
I'd always done the traditional Hoppin' John with smoked ham hocks and a slightly spicy Cajun seasoning, until I found out I was allergic to ham. So I decided to use smoked TURKEY instead (wings here, although a leg or neck bones are fine). I changed out the seasonings then to more herbs instead of spices ~ and added zucchini and carrots (since I forgot to buy bell peppers or celery). (If you want the more traditional Hoppin' John, you can search my old recipe by keyword above.) Since it's just for me and my husband, it's a smaller recipe, but you can easily double it (although this probably will serve 4).
Non-Traditional SOUTHERN HOPPIN' JOHN
2 TB extra-virgin olive oil…………………………1/2 white or yellow onion, diced
2 TB minced or crushed garlic…………………..1 medium zucchini, halved & sliced
10-12 baby carrots, chunky slice…………......……2 cups dry black-eyed peas
4 cups water w/ 2 TB chicken Better than Bouillon (or fresh chicken broth)
2-3 smoked turkey wings (or 1 leg or some neck bones)
1/2 to 1 jalapeno pepper, minced........................10-12 oz. bag frozen chopped spinach
thaw and squeeze the spinach dry
Salt & pepper to taste…………………………….. 1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 TB white vinegar………………………………….1 TB fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped
1 tsp. dried marjoram...........................................1 tsp. celery seed
1-2 tsp. rubbed sage
White or brown rice, for serving
***
Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, carrots, jalapeno pepper and stir. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until onions are translucent. Stir in dry black-eyed peas, water plus "Better than Bouillon", smoked turkey, all herbs, salt & pepper, and vinegar. Bring to a boil ~ then reduce heat and cover the pot. Let it simmer AT LEAST 2 to 2-1/2 hours until the black-eyed peas are soft (keep checking to be sure they're covered with water).
I always start this in the morning (New Year's Day) and let it go until late afternoon. The turkey is best the longer it goes (the sinews & tendons in wings & thighs will dissolve and you'll just have meat left then) ~ so after about 3-4 hours, I take out the turkey and the major bones that are left just fall out (see photo) ~ then I put the turkey meat back in. While I'm taking out the turkey bones, I'll add the spinach.
Nothing is "set in stone" here. Cook it as long as you want (just make sure there's enough water in there). Put the spinach in whenever you want. If there seems to be too much liquid later, close to when you want to serve it, you could always add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of raw white rice ~ stir ~ cover and let it simmer another 15-20 minutes.
When the black-eyed peas are soft, stir in the spinach and cook another 5-10 minutes or so. ** If it's too soupy, take out about 1 cup of liquid and whisk about 1 TB cornstarch into that ~ then whisk that back into the Dutch oven (you're "tempering" the cornstarch so it doesn't clump up in the Hoppin' John) ~ cook with the lid off for another 15 minutes or so. ** If it's too thick, whisk in another cup of water. Then taste for seasonings & adjust salt & pepper, if needed.
Serve over rice, if you want. CORNBREAD is traditional with this. If you like a light, sweeter cornbread, then try my Marie Callender's cornbread (button link below) ~ the best!
Serves about 4 people.
Non-Traditional SOUTHERN HOPPIN' JOHN
2 TB extra-virgin olive oil…………………………1/2 white or yellow onion, diced
2 TB minced or crushed garlic…………………..1 medium zucchini, halved & sliced
10-12 baby carrots, chunky slice…………......……2 cups dry black-eyed peas
4 cups water w/ 2 TB chicken Better than Bouillon (or fresh chicken broth)
2-3 smoked turkey wings (or 1 leg or some neck bones)
1/2 to 1 jalapeno pepper, minced........................10-12 oz. bag frozen chopped spinach
thaw and squeeze the spinach dry
Salt & pepper to taste…………………………….. 1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 TB white vinegar………………………………….1 TB fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped
1 tsp. dried marjoram...........................................1 tsp. celery seed
1-2 tsp. rubbed sage
White or brown rice, for serving
***
Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, carrots, jalapeno pepper and stir. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until onions are translucent. Stir in dry black-eyed peas, water plus "Better than Bouillon", smoked turkey, all herbs, salt & pepper, and vinegar. Bring to a boil ~ then reduce heat and cover the pot. Let it simmer AT LEAST 2 to 2-1/2 hours until the black-eyed peas are soft (keep checking to be sure they're covered with water).
I always start this in the morning (New Year's Day) and let it go until late afternoon. The turkey is best the longer it goes (the sinews & tendons in wings & thighs will dissolve and you'll just have meat left then) ~ so after about 3-4 hours, I take out the turkey and the major bones that are left just fall out (see photo) ~ then I put the turkey meat back in. While I'm taking out the turkey bones, I'll add the spinach.
Nothing is "set in stone" here. Cook it as long as you want (just make sure there's enough water in there). Put the spinach in whenever you want. If there seems to be too much liquid later, close to when you want to serve it, you could always add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of raw white rice ~ stir ~ cover and let it simmer another 15-20 minutes.
When the black-eyed peas are soft, stir in the spinach and cook another 5-10 minutes or so. ** If it's too soupy, take out about 1 cup of liquid and whisk about 1 TB cornstarch into that ~ then whisk that back into the Dutch oven (you're "tempering" the cornstarch so it doesn't clump up in the Hoppin' John) ~ cook with the lid off for another 15 minutes or so. ** If it's too thick, whisk in another cup of water. Then taste for seasonings & adjust salt & pepper, if needed.
Serve over rice, if you want. CORNBREAD is traditional with this. If you like a light, sweeter cornbread, then try my Marie Callender's cornbread (button link below) ~ the best!
Serves about 4 people.
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