Thursday, January 01, 2015

Hoppin' John with Collard Greens


I'm not a superstitious person.  I don't think I'm cursed if a black cat walks in front of me.  I'm not afraid to step on cracks in the sidewalk.  But I also like to cover my bases.  And if eating a bowl of blackeyed peas and collards will get my new year started off right, it certainly won't hurt to have a bowl.  It also helps that it's delicious.  Good luck with the new year, my friends!

Hoppin' John with Collard Greens

3 strips bacon, cut into batons
1 onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeño, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
¼ pound collard greens, stem removed, sliced into ribbons
11 ounces fresh blackeyed peas (1 container)
1½ teaspoons Creole seasoning
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
4 cups chicken broth

In a skillet, cook bacon until fat is rendered and the bacon is starting to get crispy.  Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon, and place it into the crock of a slow cooker.

Add the onion, celery, bell pepper, jalapeño, and garlic to the hot bacon fat, and cook until the onion is translucent and the other vegetables have softened slightly.  Pour the vegetables into the crock over the bacon.

Add the remaining 7 ingredients to the slow cooker, and stir to make sure everything is distributed evenly.  Cook on high for 5 hours, or low for 8. Serve with rice and Tabasco sauce.

Makes 8 servings

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