Entertaining with Chef Eddie

Hoppin John

I use this dish during Mardi Gras as a substitute for Red Beans and Rice in vegetarian meals. The original recipe calls for salt pork in the cooking of the black eyed peas, but I use aromatic vegetables instead to get my flavor in the peas. This dish is also traditional during New Years; the black eyed peas are good luck in the up coming year. Either way this is a nice side dish and is a great way to use leftover rice or black eyed peas.

This is a dish that can be made ahead of time and heated up last minute. I like it with fried cat fish or blackened pork chops. You can also make a strong mustard vinaigrette and toss all the ingredients in it and serve this as a salad, bumping it up with diced celery or peppers and adding grilled or blackened chicken or shrimp. The point is, have some fun and don’t be confined by what the recipe says - make it yours.

Recipe:

2 cups Cooked Black Eyed Peas
2 cups Cooked Rice
1 cup Vegetable or Chicken Stock; some of the broth from the beans can also be used
1 cup Chopped Tomato
1/2 cup Chopped Green Onions
Grated Cheddar Cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste
Combine peas, rice, tomatoes and chicken stock in an oven proof dish
Top with cheddar cheese and green onions and cover
Bake at 350 until heated through

 

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