Hoppin John with Collards

Step 1

Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a large pot over medium high heat.

Step 2

Add onion, peppers, celery and ham hock.

Step 3

Saute until starting to brown, about 10 minutes.

Step 4

Add garlic and stir until aroma comes, 30 sec to a minute.

Step 5

Add chicken stock, water, vinegar, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, bay leaf, and black-eyed peas, and heat to boiling.

Step 6

Reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes.

Step 7

Strip collard leaves away from stems and discard stems.

Step 8

Slice into roughly 1 inch square pieces.

Step 9

After 15 minutes simmering add collards to pot.

Step 10

Cover and let the collards sit on top of the pea mixture about 15 mins until they wilt and then stir in.

Step 11

Simmer about another 30 minutes until black-eyed peas are tender, not mushy, and collards have lost their bright green color.

Step 12

Remove bay leaf and discard.

Step 13

Remove ham hock. When cool enough to handle, strip any meat from hock, chop and add back to Hoppin John.

Step 14

Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve over rice.