The Tightrope Walker

Well Hello!  First of all, I have a good excuse for my delay this time.  My friend and I have successfully started our business!  Unfortunately, this has taken some time away from this particular writing... But it has let me write more in my poetry zone!  BUT!  I am back here, and I promise, not crying wolf this time, that I will be more frequent with my posts.  Not promising everyday mind you, because then you would get bored and leave!  But closer to a couple of times per week!

Now that I've got that off my chest, I have a delightful little recipe to share with you all today!  It's a New Years favorite, and we did indeed have it to start our 2014!  It's called Hoppin' Johns.  Very simple, I know.  And yet, it's supposed to bring you lovely luck, health, and money for the new year!  So long as you eat all the different parts of the meal...

We have always had this on the first day of the year.  Seriously, as long as I can remember, it's been our January first dinner.  The dish is filling, but not heavy, and very flavorful despite the simplicity f ingredients.  I imagine some of what makes it so appetizing is that by the time the stuff has made it to steaming bowls on the table, it's made the house smell so mouthwateringly good that it's more of a privilege to eat beans and rice than a peasant's duty.

We like to eat it with some of our zucchini relish, preserved form our summer crop.  It gives it just the right zing.  The taste of a bite fills the mouth with a fullness.  None of the flavors overwhelm any of the others; it's like a perfect balancing act.  The tightrope walker of the food circus.

What's more, it makes a delightful lunch for the following day(s), depending on how much you can bear to leave leftover.  And now, without further ado, I leave you with a picture of my backyard.  A bowl of Hoppin' Johns sounds delightful at this moment!

I wonder if I eat the entire pot if all the good things associated with it will double... Jury's still out on that.

Recipe

Adapted from Tasty Kitchen



Ingredients 
4 Tblsp Butter/olive oil
1 whole large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 whole green bell pepper, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
4 cups soaked black-eyed peas
5 cups low sodium (or no sodium)/water
1 whole ham hock*
salt and pepper and cayenne pepper to taste
2 Tblsp white vinegar
white or brown rice

Directions 
Soak black-eyed peas in cool water for at least 6 hours. Rinse before using.)


Heat butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, green pepper, and celery and stir. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in soaked beans, then add chicken broth, ham hock, salt & pepper, and cayenne to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover the pot for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, check the liquid level; if it’s too soupy, cook with the lid off for another 15 minutes or so. If it’s too thick, splash in a little more broth.

Stir in vinegar, then taste for seasonings. Add more spice if needed.

Serve over white or brown rice, making sure to get plenty of the cooking liquid spooned over the top. Or, you may mix the bean mixture with the rice before serving.

*The Ham hock is for those of you who like meat in your stews.  I made mine with no ham, and it was just as flavorful!