Hoppin' John (Vegetarian)

Title:
Hoppin' John (Vegetarian)

Yield:
6 Servings

Categories:
Entree,
Vegetables




Ingredients:





     3 c  Blackeyed peas; frozen, (*)


     1 tb Peanut oil; plus


          Vegetable cooking spray; as


          -needed


 1 1/2 c  Chopped yellow onion


     1 c  Chopped celery


     1 c  Red and green bell peppers;


          -chopped


     1 tb Minced garlic


     1 tb Fresh thyme leaves


     1    Bay leaf


     1 c  Long-grain white rice


 1 1/2 c  Low sodium vegetable broth;


          -low fat


     2 c  Chopped tomato; peeled and


          -seeded


          Salt and black pepper


          Bottled Louisiana-style hot


          -sauce


   3/4 c  Chopped green onions;


          -including tops


   1/2 c  Italian parsley; chopped






 Traditional New Year's good luck dish of the American Southern States has
4


 ounces of sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2 wide pieces. (1/4" dice if


 using slab bacon with its rind removed). Brown, crisp, drain on paper


 toweling. Reserve 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat and use it to saute onion


 etc. McNair's touch: white rice cooked in broth; diced red and/or green


 peppers. The crisp bacon would be crumbled and used as a garnish.


 


 *Degrees of doneness: Cooked Black-eyed peas, canned or homemade, may be


 used in place of frozen: but canned tend to be fully cooked and too soft.


 The beans should be done yet crunchy (about 20 to 30 minutes shy of


 tender). Frozen peas are ideal for this recipe. They require an additional


 20-30 minutes cooking (check package). TIP: Dried BEP's double their volume


 when cooked.


 


 In a heavy saucepan over medium-high, add oil and onion. Stir to coat


 onion. When hot enough to saute, add celery and bell peppers. Saute until


 the vegetables are soft, about 5 mins. Add cooking spray or a little water


 if necessary to prevent browning.


 


 Stir in the peas, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, and just enough water (broth) to


 cover barely. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle


 simmer and cook, partially covered, until the peas are tender but still


 hold their shape, 15 to 25 minutes.


 


 Meanwhile, cook the rice (white or brown) in broth. TIP: Brown rice may be


 cooked in water with a piece of lemon peel (dime-sized).


 


 Stir tomato concasser into peas and simmer uncovered, about 5 minutes. Stir


 in the rice, season to taste with salt and generous amount of ground pepper


 and hot sauce, and heat through, about 2 minutes. Stir in most o the green


 onion and chopped parsley. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with parsley


 sprigs and serve hot.


 


 Credits: James McNair's Beans and Grains (1997: Chronicle). Tested


 patHanneman. PER SERVING: 257 cals, 2.7 g fat (8.2%)


 


 MEAT VARIATIONS: If we added 4 ounces 1/4" dice lean ham: PER SERVING: 282


 cals, 3.6 g fat (10.2%). 4 ounces lean bacon, crisped and crumbled: PER


 SERVING: 333 cals, 5.8 g fat (14.1%)


 


 Recipe by: James McNair's Beans & Grains (1997) /patH


 


 Posted to Digest eat-lf.v097.n323 by KitPATh 
on


 Dec 22, 1997