Hoppin' John With Greens - Slow Cooker Recipe

This is a traditional Southern dish for bringing good luck into the New Year, consisting of black-eyed peas and rice. Eating Hoppin' John on New Year's Day is thought to bring a prosperous year filled with luck. The peas are symbolic of pennies or coins, and a coin is sometimes added to the pot or left under the dinner bowls. Greens along with this dish are supposed to also add to the wealth since they are the color of money. Eating this the day after represents frugality and savings. You are supposed to leave 3 peas to assure that the New Year will be filled with Luck, Fortune and Romance. Serve hot with corn bread.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 7 hr
• Total Time: 7 hr 20 mins
• Calories: 342 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 onion, chopped
• ¼ cup hot water
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 cube vegetable bouillon
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
• 1 smoked ham hock
• 5 cups water, or as needed to cover
• 1 cup dried black-eyed peas, sorted and rinsed
• 2 bunches collard greens, chopped

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Cover black-eyed peas with water in a large soup pot, bring to a boil, and boil for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and simmer peas for 1 hour. Drain.

Step 2

Dissolve vegetable bouillon cube in 1/4 cup hot water in a small bowl; pour bouillon into slow cooker. Stir black-eyed peas, onion, garlic, ham hock, collard greens, oregano, red pepper flakes, and vegetable broth into the cooker. Add 5 cups of water or as needed to cover. Cook 5 hours on High. Stir rice into stew and cook 1 more hour.

Step 3

Remove meat from ham hock, chop meat, and return to stew. Season with salt and black pepper.