Hoppin John Soup - Recipes From A Pantry (2024)

FAQs

What is so special about the Hoppin John dish? ›

And our tastiest superstitious tradition is eating Hoppin' John on New Year's Day. This classic Southern dish, a one-pot meal of black-eyed peas, ham hock, and rice, is believed by many (not just the Sterlings) to ensure wealth and bring good luck in the upcoming year.

On the day after New Year's Day, leftover "Hoppin' John" is called "Skippin' Jenny" and further demonstrates one's frugality, bringing a hope for an even better chance of prosperity in the New Year.

Some of our favorites are Dried Shallots, Dehydrated Red Bell Pepper, Dehydrated Green Bell Pepper, Tomato Flakes, Minced Onion and Roasted Garlic Flakes. Or, add a bay leaf to your recipe. The bay leaf will give the soup a little something extra without overwhelming the dish.

What's the difference between Hoppin' John and black-eyed peas? Hoppin' John has black-eyed peas in it, but it also has other ingredients. In this recipe, the black-eyed peas are stewed with onion, garlic, celery, and a ham hock, similar to how some Southern-style black-eyed peas would be cooked.

In the Southern United States, hoppin' John—a simple, delicious dish of peas, pork and rice—is standard New Year's fare.

There are varying stories about how the name 'Hoppin' John' originated for the meal. For example, some stories tell about a man name John who sold field peas in the streets of Charleston. Others mention enslaved children hopping around a table, enjoying their meal of cooked rice.

A staple of the Southern table, Hoppin' John is famously eaten on New Year's Day, but is just as good any other day as well. This version features tender and earthy field peas cooked with fluffy rice and rich and smoky ham hocks.

You'll find this Hoppin' John recipe gracing most tables in the South on New Year's Day. Served alongside it is a side of collard greens and freshly baked cornbread; the greens are a symbol of paper money, while the cornbread represents gold. For a complete New Year's Day spread, you'll need some pork, too.

Hoppin' John is traditionally served with collard greens, whose green color symbolizes wealth. The black-eyed peas are symbolic of coins (more good fortune), and an actual coin is sometimes added to the pot. This is where eating black-eyed peas on New Year's came from.

Soups and Chilis

Worcestershire sauce in soup? Trust me on this one. Just a little goes a long way; it helps cut through the richness in chilis and thick soups.

How do I increase the depth of flavor in soup? ›

Add acidic ingredients.

Foods that have a great deal of acidity, like lemon juice, vinegar, white wine, and tomato puree, can help liven up the flavor of bland-tasting bone and other broths. "The acidity of these ingredients works to complement and enhance the broth's flavors, not mask it.

Black-Eyed Peas: The Star of Hoppin' John

The dish that black-eyed peas are most famous for is Hoppin' John. No idea where the name came from. And depending on where you are from, you might not even call it that. It's simply black-eyed peas and rice.

The African roots of the dish can be traced to the antebellum rice culture of the South Carolina Lowcountry, where peas and rice have been cooked together for centuries. Tradition dictates that a side of collard greens representing paper money be served with Hoppin' John to ensure prosperity in the coming year.

A highlight on the culinary map of the Palmetto State is Hoppin' John. Derived from the Gullah culture, this dish is as legendary as it is savory. Locally sourced ingredients, flavorful seasonings and spices and a certain level of flare are all part of what makes this a classic Southern dish.

Today, the tradition of eating black-eyed peas for the New Year has evolved, as many traditions do, into a number of variations – but most hold the theme of luck and prosperity that harkens back to the Civil War days when people felt lucky to have black-eyed peas to eat and help them survive the cold, harsh winter ...

The crop was brought by enslaved Africans in the 1600s as they were transported to the Americas. West Africans have long considered black-eyed peas a good luck charm that warded off evil spirits, and they are often served on holidays and birthdays.

Find the recipe for black eyed pea fritters and more in Mariah-Rose's new international cookbook and guide, COOK LIKE YOUR ANCESTORS. It's a tradition for Southern people — especially those of African descent — to eat black-eyed peas around the New Year to bring good luck and prosperity for the year ahead.

They are high in potassium, iron, and fiber and a one-half cup serving of cooked black-eyed peas counts as one ounce of lean meat from the Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts Group of the Food Guide Pyramid.