Hoppin' John and Corn Bread with Man Candy

Mr Soup reminded me that I owe you two recipes from our New Year's Day celebration: Hoppin' John and Corn Bread with man candy.

Hoppin' John is one of those very traditional "eat this for good luck in the New Year" dishes. Don't be fooled by all of those complicated recipes calling for a million ingredients - this is poor people cooking at it's finest.

1 lb of dried black eyed peas, picked over and rinsed
2 meaty ham hocks (about 1 1/2 lbs)
9 cups of water
2 T vegetable oil
2 medium onions chopped
1/4 t salt
freshly ground black pepper

Soak peas on cold water to cover by 2 inches, refrigerated for at least 8 hours (or follow package directions for the quick soak) drain and rinse well.

Combine ham hocks and water in a deep 4-quart sauce pan and simmer uncovered for 2 hours, or until the meat is tender. Transfer hocks to cutting board and measure the liquid. If you have more than 6 cups, boil until reduced to 6 cups. If you don't have 6 cups, add enough water to total 6 cups.

When the hocks are cool enough to handle, remove meat, discarding the bones and skin, and chop.

Heat oil in a 5 to 6 quart heavy pot (I use a lovely, old, cast iron dutch oven). Add onions and salt and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened, about 10 minutes. Add drained peas, ham hock broth and ham and simmer, partially covered, until peas are tender, but not falling apart - 20-40 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve spooned over rice. I always offer chopped scallion, freshly chopped parsley and Tabasco as garnishes.

The other thing I serve is corn bread. This recipe is from The Bread Bakers Apprentice (yes, that book still is mocking me, but it hasn't let me down yet either).


Ingredients
1 cup (6 ounces) coarse cornmeal (also packaged as "polenta")
2 cups buttermilk
8 ounces (approx. 10 slices) bacon
1 3/4 cups(8 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 1/2 cups(16 ounces) fresh or frozen corn kernels
2 tablespoons bacon fat or vegetable oil

Method

1. The night before baking the corn bread, soak the cornmeal in the buttermilk. Cover and leave at room temperature overnight.
2. The next day, to prepare the bacon, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lay out the bacon on 2 sheet pans. Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp. Using tongs or a fork, remove the pieces to a pan lined with paper towels to cool. Drain off the fat into a can or stainless-steel bowl and save for greasing the corn bread pan. When the bacon has cooled, crumble it into coarse pieces.
3. Lower the oven setting to 350°F (175°C). Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a mixing bowl. Stir in the granulated sugar and brown sugar. In another bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Dissolve the honey in the melted butter and then stir the warm honey-butter mixture into the eggs. Add this to the soaked cornmeal mixture. Add the wet mixture to the flour mixture and stir with a large spoon or whisk until all the ingredients are evenly distributed and the batter is blended and smooth. It should be the consistency of thick pancake batter. Stir in the corn kernels until they are evenly distributed.
4. Place 2 tablespoons of the rendered bacon fat into a 10-inch round cake pan (you can also use a 9 by 13-inch baking pan or a 12-inch square pan). (Mrs Soup's Note: I've tried with all the different pans, and the 9 x 13 delivers the best result) Place the pan in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the fat gets very hot. With good pot holders or oven mitts, remove the pan, tilt it to grease all the corners and sides, and pour in the batter, spreading it from the center of the pan to the edges. Sprinkle the crumbled bacon pieces evenly over the top, gently pressing them into the batter.
5. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the corn bread is firm and springy (the baking time will depend on the size of the pan) and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The top will be a medium golden brown. The internal temperature at the center of the corn bread should register at least 185°F (85°C).
6. Allow the bread to cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before slicing it into squares or wedges. Serve warm.

COMMENTARY As with all quick breads, this batter can be used to make muffins. Fill the greased muffin cups to the top and bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 30 minutes, or until the center of a muffin is springy and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.