Hoppin' John
1 cup dry black-eyed peas that have been soaked overnight
1/4 pound bacon
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup rice
Salt and pepper to taste
In a heavy 3-quart saucepan, cook bacon until crisp; remove and set aside. Cook onion in bacon drippings until tender but not brown. Add peas, uncooked rice, salt and pepper plus 6 cups water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and cover. Simmer until peas are tender (approximately 1 hour). Crumble reserved bacon and add just before serving or sprinkle over top of individual servings. Serves 8.
Note: Adding salt to dried peas/beans while they are cooking can make them tough. It is best to add seasoning just before serving. If you forgot to soak your beans overnight, don’t worry. Just rinse the beans and place them in a large saucepan with water to cover. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 1 hour before preparing recipe.
