Frieda's Hoppin' John
By: FriedasProduce
Published: Thursday, December 10, 2009 - 5:25pm

Ingredients




1 1/2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice
6 ounces pkgs. Frieda’s Dried Blackeyed Peas, quick-soaked according to package directions and drained
4 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced or 1 tsp. dried thyme, crushed
1 Frieda's Bay Leaf
6 strips bacon
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup red or green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup celery, minced
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 package to 3 Frieda's Fresh Habanero Chiles, seeded and finely minced (or Dried Habaneros, reconstituted accordi
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1 This hoppin' version of a traditional Southern dish is spicy with one Habanero chile, extra-gutsy with two, and fire with three! Use dried habaneros if you like a slightly milder, smokier flavor. 2 Cups uncooked long-grain white rice 3 Oz pkgs. Frieda’s Dried Blackeyed Peas, cooked according to package directions and drained 4 Cups water 5 Tbsp. fresh thyme, minced or 1 tsp. dried thyme, crushed 6 Frieda's Bay Leaf 7 Strips bacon 8 Cup onion, chopped 9 Cup red or green bell pepper, chopped 10 Cup celery, minced 11 Cup parsley, chopped 12 Clove garlic, minced 13 To 3 Frieda's Fresh Habanero Chiles, seeded and finely minced (or Dried Habaneros, reconstituted according to package directions) 14 Salt and pepper to taste 15 In a Dutch oven, place rice with pre-soaked blackeyed peas and water. Stir in thyme and bay leaf. Cover and bring mixture to boiling. Uncover and reduce heat; simmer 15 to 18 minutes or until rice and beans are done, checking to make sure mixture does not boil dry. 16 Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Drain bacon on paper toweling, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings in skillet. Add onion, bell pepper, celery, parsley, garlic, and chile to drippings in pan. Saute about 3 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Crumble bacon; add to skillet. Remove from heat. 17 When rice and beans are done, drain off any excess liquid. Remove bay leaf. Stir bacon mixture into rice and beans. Serve to taste. Makes 5 servings.

About


This hoppin' version of a traditional Southern dish is spicy with one Habanero chile, extra-gutsy with two, and fire with three! Use dried habaneros if you like a slightly milder, smokier flavor.
You can also use pre-soaked blackeyed peas in the tub, available in the refrigerated section of the produce department.
Dried Blackeyed Peas don't need to be soaked overnight like other beans. Use a quick-soak method: Bring to a boil and then turn off heat. Let sit in pot, covered, for 45 minutes, then drain and cook as recipe directs.