Hoppin’ John and Skippin’ Jenny A New Year’s Dish to Bring Good Luck

Several years ago on New Year’s Day, my friend, Martha Cranor, showed up at our front door with a pot of black-eyed peas. “In the South we eat black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day for good luck. Your luck hasn’t been so good lately. I brought you this pot of black-eyed peas to change that. You need to eat one pea for every year old you are.”

“Thank you,” I said, not quite sure what to make of this gesture. We honored Martha’s wishes, and everyone in my family ate one pea for every year we had lived, and, guess what, our luck changed.

I have made Martha’s recipe for black-eyed peas, a side dish, every year since with the exception of last year when I made Hoppin’ John, which is a complete meal. It is typically served with rice and corn bread. Eating Hoppin’ John on New Year’s Day is thought to bring good luck and prosperity; but, there’s a bonus to this dish. Eating leftover Hoppin’ John the day after New Year’s is called Skippin’ Jenny, which is meant to show frugality and the hope for even more prosperity. With food prices the way they are today, we all need to be a bit more frugal, and who can’t use a bit more luck and prosperity?

The traditional Southern New Year’s Day meal consists of ham eaten to bring wealth, collard greens for good health, and black-eyed peas for good luck and prosperity. Black-eyed peas are thought to represent coins, their shape and size resembling pennies. Hoppin’ John is made with ham, ham hocks, or bacon and black-eyed peas. If you make this recipe, you can add some collard greens about five minutes before the end of cooking time, and you have all three ingredients Southerners think you need to start the New Year off on the right foot.

Wishing you all a very Happy, Healthy, Lucky, Prosperous, and Frugal New Years!

Hoppin’ John

Serves 6

You can find fresh black-eyed peas in containers in the produce department of your supermarket. They normally come in an 11-ounce container. If you substitute fresh peas for dried in this recipe, you will need 1 ½ to 2 pounds of peas or two (11-ounce) containers.

1 pound dried black-eyed peas

6 thick-cut bacon slices, chopped, about ¾ pound

3 stalks celery, sliced

1 medium white onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and finely chopped

4 teaspoons garlic, minced

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1 bay leaf

2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon large grind black pepper

5 cups chicken broth

1 can (14.5-ounces) diced tomatoes with garlic

Cooked rice for serving

Chopped fresh parsley for garnishing

Follow package directions and soak black-eyed peas in cool water for at least 6 to 8 hours, or overnight. Drain and rinse peas.

In a large kettle, place bacon over a medium-high heat and sauté, stirring frequently, until bacon starts to crisp, about 10 minutes.

To the same kettle, add celery, onion, bell pepper, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, Cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper and continue sautéing, stirring frequently, until onion is tender, about 8 minutes.

Add broth, diced tomatoes, and black-eyed peas and bring to a boil over a medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to a medium low and simmer until peas are tender, about 40 minutes.

Serve over cooked rice and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

Tips on prepping dried black-eyed peas: Spread peas out in a single layer. Remove any shriveled, cracked peas or ones with dark spots or any sign of spoilage. Look for rocks or other unintended objects and discard.

Tips on selecting black-eyed peas: Black-eyed peas should be firm and plump. Around the New Year, most supermarkets sell fresh, shelled black-eyed peas in 1-pint containers.

Tips on storing fresh black-eyed peas: Refrigerate and keep no more than 1 week.

Carol Ann

Carol Ann Kates is the award-winning author of cookbook, Secret Recipes from the Corner Market, and international Amazon best-selling and award-winning author of Grocery Shopping Secrets. She’s an expert in how to shop, select, and store produce for maximizing home cooking outcomes and minimizing time and money spent. As a former supermarket and deli operator, Carol Ann shares grocery-insider wisdom—the same expertise you used to receive when patronizing a mom-and-pop establishment. Contact her at CarolAnn@CarolAnnKates.com and explore her website, www.CarolAnnKates.com.

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