Hoppin’ John

Ingredients

• 2 medium celery stalks
• ½ large red bell pepper
• 1 medium onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 (6-ounce) slice smoked, lean, low sodium ham
• 1 (15-ounce) can black-eyed peas
• 1 Tablespoon canola oil
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1½-3½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups instant brown rice
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
• Pinch salt
• Pinch ground black pepper

Optional Ingredients

• Hot sauce, to taste

Materials

• Knife
• Cutting board
• Can opener
• Colander
• Large pot with lid
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Mixing spoon

Instructions

1. Rinse and dice celery and bell pepper. Peel, rinse, and dice onion. Peel and mince garlic.
2. Dice ham.
3. In a colander, rinse and drain black-eyed peas.
4. In large pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add celery, bell pepper, onion, garlic, and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, 5-7 minutes.
5. Add broth to pot. Bring to a boil. Add rice. Reduce heat to simmer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
6. Stir in ham, black-eyed peas, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand 5 minutes before serving. Serve with hot sauce, if desired.

Chef’s Notes

• At the deli counter, ask for 1-2 thick slices of lower-sodium ham for this recipe. Or, look for a thick piece of prepackaged ham in the meat section. In a pinch, use pre-sliced deli ham.
• Serve with Sauteed Greens and unsweetened iced tea if you like.
• For a twist, try using quick-cooking barley instead of instant brown rice. Adjust liquid and cooking time according to package directions.