Hoppin’ John

Grains, Meat/Meat Alternative, Vegetable, Main, Plant-Forward, Vegan, Vegetarian

Yield: 100 Servings

1 serving provides:

Meat/meat alternative: 1 oz (1/4 cup black eye peas)

Vegetable: 1/4 cup

Whole Grains: 1/2 serving

Ingredients

2 qt 3/4 cup Black-eyed peas, dried, sorted, rinsed, and soaked overnight (See Recipe Notes) 

 2/3 cup Oil, olive or canola 

2 lb 10 oz Onions, yellow, chopped 

3 lb 12 oz Green bell pepper, fresh or frozen and thawed, chopped 

1 lb 4 oz Celery, chopped 

3 1/2 oz Garlic, minced 

1 tbsp Red pepper flakes 

1  tbsp Thyme leaves, dried 

5 tsp  Cumin, ground 

2 tbsp plus 2 tsp Table salt 

1 qt 1 cup Brown rice, long-grain 

2 qt plus 3 cups Water 

3 lb 6 oz Tomatoes, canned, diced, juices reserved

Method

  1. Put the black-eyed peas in a large pot and add enough water to cover them by at least 1 inch. Simmer over medium heat until the beans are tender and fully cooked, 40 to 45 minutes. Drain the beans in a colander and reserve. 

  2. Heat the oil in a pot over low heat. Add the onions, peppers, celery and garlic to the oil and cook covered, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender and translucent, about 10 minutes. 

  3. Stir in the red pepper flakes, thyme leaves, cumin, and salt. 

  4. Add the rice and stir to heat the kernels evenly, about 2 minutes 

  5.  Add the water to the rice and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes. Add the drained black-eyed peas to the rice and stir well. Cover and simmer until the rice is fully cooked and tender, another 20 to 25 minutes. 

  6. Stir in the tomatoes and the reserved juices just before serving and continue to cook long enough to heat the tomatoes, about 3 minutes.

  7. Serve with a No. 6 scoop (3/4-cup portion) as a side dish. 

Recipe Notes: 

Substituting canned black-eyed peas for dry black-eyed peas 

To replace dry black-eyed peas with rinsed and drained canned black-eyed peas, you will need 5 cups (45 oz) for 20 servings and 12 1/2 cups (90 oz) for 50 servings. Begin the recipe at step 2 and add the drained beans to the rice in step 5.   

 

Source: Jeremy West, Greeley-Evans Weld County School District 6