Traditional hopping john

10 servings

Ingredients

QuantityIngredient
4Bacon strips
¼cupOnion, diced
½Bell pepper, diced
½Red bell pepper, diced
2cupsFRESH Blackeyed peas or purple hull peas OR-
2packs(10 oz) frozen blackeyed peas
½cupUncooked white rice
2cupsWater
Salt & pepper, to taste
Louisiana Hot Sauce

Directions

Dice bacon. brown in dutch oven with onion and pepeprs, until bacon is crisp and vegetables are soft. Add peas and rice. then water. Cover and simmer over very low heat about 20 minutes, until the rice is tender. Salt & pepper to taste. Add a dash of hot sauce (to taste).

This recipe came to America from Africa though the slave trade. It is now the traditional dish served by most Southerners on New Year's Day. It is reported to bring good luck.

Recipe fron the collection of Joan Mershon Submitted By JOAN MERSHON On 03-14-95