New Years Hoppin' John - Auntie Sue's Special Recipe
1 lb dried black-eyed peas (soaked in water and 1 beer for an hour or so,the beer helps remove the flatulence effect of the beans) (I like 2 pounds)
1 lb bacon (or 1/2 lb)
1 pkg salt pork or hocks (I like hocks) (optional)
sausage, your favorite (venison or andoullie or polish is good) cut in half length wise then into half moons
1 xl onion (chopped fine)
few stalks celery (chopped fine)
some green pepper (1) (chopped fine)
couple of carrots (chopped fine or shredded)
LOTS of garlic, like 2 or 3 whole flowers
bay leaves, I use 4 - 5 fresh
parsley 1 fresh bunch
chicken or beef stock or both
optional- basil, dill, olive oil, diced ham
Cook bacon on low till fat is rendered. (I use real good bacon so I do not take any fat out).
Add veges and sausage, cook till onions are clear, sausage lightly browned.
Add garlic and hock and stock. Heat well and stir. Add black-eyed peas and spices.
I like to place this into a crock pot and just keep it on low all day.
Serve some cornbread on the side. ( usually don't care too much for cornbread, but somehow it really works well with this!)
You will have to eat this all day because it tastes sooooo good.
(You can eliminate the overnight soak by either buying fresh or frozen black-eyed peas OR just boil peas and let em set fer like 4 hrs. Or, boil hard, then keep on cookin, they will get done, ya just might have to cook em a bit longer)
You can either drain the black-eyed peas before adding to pot or add the liquid. Some peeps like it thick like a chili, or it's so easy to thin down like a bit of soup with stock, beer (not too much) or plain water. And some people like to have this with rice (which makes the meal into a complete protein).
Happy New Year......