Steele (the Day)

Functional Foodie Friday: Hoppin’ John

// January 6th, 2012 // Functional Foodie, My Fabulous Life

Black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day – we ate them twice and I can’t wait to see what kind of luck that brings us for 2012.

If I believed in luck….which I don’t.

This recipe is adapted from the infamous Pioneer Woman (of course, why wouldn’t I pick someone famous?) and even if you don’t think you like some of the ingredients, I guarantee this finished product has a blend of flavors and textures you’ll adore. Add bacon, if you must, but it really doesn’t need it. I loved the pork in here, and the entire dish was extremely inexpensive because I had a small chunk of pork in the freezer and the only thing I needed to buy that I didn’t have in my pantry/frig was the kale.

Lunch and dinner for 3 days? $1.29 out of pocket. (cheep cheep) And loaded with healthy protein.

Our appetizer-turned-lunch was P-Dub’s Zannie’s Black-Eyed Pea Dip. I had to make it, because I’d soaked more black-eyed peas than I needed for the main intent. Who wastes thirty cents worth of dried beans? (I am my mother’s daughter). NO! Divine intervention! Add cheese and proceed! This was also delicious, and the two of us may or may not have eaten the entire batch in one sitting. So it makes a good lunch as well as an appetizer, and thus the Hoppin’ John cooked a little longer because we were stuffed for hours.

Starting out New Year’s on the wrong foot – too much of a good thing, but all for the sake of luck.

If you believe in that sort of thing.

Hoppin’ John

4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 lb pork butt, trimmed of fat, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 Tablespoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 large yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1-2 jalapeños, diced (I guessed, because they’re diced & frozen in bags from last summer)
2 stalks celery, diced
4 1/2 cups soaked black-eyed peas
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 15 oz can fire-roasted tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 Tablespoons white vinegar
3 cups chopped kale
salt and pepper

Directions

Soak black-eyed peas overnight then rinse thoroughly. Mix paprika, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, salt and pepper together. Toss with pork and allow to sit for at least 30 min in refrigerator. (I let mine sit overnight).

Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Brown pork pieces on all sides quickly; remove to plate.

Add onion, garlic, green pepper, jalapeño, and celery and stir. Cook for 5 minutes. Add pork back in pot, stir in black-eyed peas. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and cayenne. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover the pot for an hour.

Stir in vinegar, then taste for seasonings. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in kale until just wilted.

Serve over chewy brown rice with a nice chunk of skillet cheddar-jalapeno corn bread (which I also had in the freezer).

Tea today: Organic China Green

 

Related posts:

1. Functional Foodie Friday: Black-Eyed Pea Chili
2. Functional Foodie Friday: Watermelon and Peach Salsa
3. Functional Foodie Friday: Coconut-Cashew Quinoa
4. Functional Foodie Friday: Pinto Beans and Ham with Skillet Jalapeño Cornbread
5. Functional Foodie Friday: Bean, Quinoa & Citrus Salad