Hoppin' John

• servings: 10 servings
• active time: 6 hours
• total time: 7 hours

Ingredients

4 tbsp. butter

1 large onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 green bell pepper, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 lb. dried black eyed peas

5 c. low-sodium chicken broth, plus more as needed

1 whole ham hock

Kosher salt and pepper, to taste

Cayenne pepper, to taste

2 tbsp. white vinegar

White or brown rice, to serve

Directions

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

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

Variations: Add red bell pepper, canned diced tomatoes, diced jalapeños, diced ham (instead of ham hocks), or sliced bacon (instead of ham hocks). Stir in torn-up kale when 5 minutes of cooking time remain. You can also use canned, drained black-eyed peas if preferred. Just use diced ham instead of ham hock and a little less broth, as peas won't need to cook as long.