Recipes
Cantella's Classics
Hoppin’ John & Hot Sausage
Here’s my smokin’ version of this celebrated southern dish.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of dried black-eyed peas
- 3 tablespoons of butter
- 3 slices of bacon (chopped)
- 1 teaspoon of crushed or chopped garlic
- 1 1/2 cups of onion (chopped)
- 1/2 cup of green onion (chopped)
- 3 cups of chicken broth
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon of rubbed sage
- 1/4 teaspoon of liquid smoke
- 1/2 pound of smoked ham hock
- 1 pound of fresh hot Italian sausage links
- 1 cup of white rice
- 3 cups of water
- 1/2 teaspoon of tabasco sauce
Directions
A Day Before Serving:
- Soak the peas in enough water to cover them by a couple of inches or so. Cover and let stand overnight.
The Day Of Serving:
- Heat one-half of the butter in a six quart stock pot over medium heat.
- Add the bacon, garlic, onion, and green onion, and cook for eight to ten minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- Drain the water from the presoaked black eyed peas and rinse them off with cold water.
- Add the peas to the pot along with the chicken broth, three cups of water, salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper, sage, liquid smoke, and ham hock.
- Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for one and one-half hours.
- About one hour and ten minutes into simmering the mixture, broil the sausage for fifteen to sixteen minutes, turning a couple of times.
- Cut the sausage into one-fourth to one-half inch, bite-sized pieces.
- When the mixture has simmered for one and one-half hours, stir in the rice, the remaining butter, and the broiled sausage.
- Cover and continue to simmer for another thirty to thirty-five minutes, until the rice is tender. (It may be necessary to add a little water to finish the rice.)
- Stir in the tabasco sauce and serve in a chili bowl.