Recipe(tried): Hoppin' John for Crock Pot

New Years Day 2001 Hoppin' John

This is a traditional Cajun dish which must be eaten on New Years Day for good luck thoughout the year. The heat level is the main variable, if you need lots of mojo it needs to be hot but be careful not to overpower the wonderful flavors.
6 or 7 on your own 10 point scale is a good target for a maximum.

1# dry black-eyed peas
2 large sweet onions
lots of spiral cut ham, bite sized
1/2 c course shredded carrots
4 stalks celery
some green onions chopped
lots of chopped garlic (6-40 cloves)
I used 8 I think
cajun spice mix to taste
bit of Indian chile powder
3 or 4 dried red cayennes, whirred up
bit of rot gut red wine

Traditional recipes use smoked ham hocks, boiled separately and pick the meat off. The ham version is less smokey and a bit sweeter but much easier in the fat department. Try it both ways or mixed.

Soak beans 1/2 hour (optional), rinse thoroughly. In 4 qt crock pot cover rinsed beans with water and set on auto shift or high. Saut sweet onions to light brown, add cajun mix and some of the garlic toward end, add to pot. Fry chopped ham to charred edges and add to pot (grill is you prefer a smokier flavor). Add carrots, green onions, remaining garlic, celery and peppers. Drink wine, spill some in pot. Top up crockpot with hot water. Drink and spill more rot gut while tasting and doctor with spices. Let simmer covered over night, stirring occasionally. If your pot has no autoshift remember to set it on low once simmer starts. Wish all a happy new year and retire.

This batch simmered 9 or 10 hours, beans were soft in 7 hours. Pressure cooking beans for ten minutes will greatly speed preparation but the gree gree is lost, I recommend the slow way. The power of this dish is in the care and fiddling. Besides resulting in a much more pleasing texture, it fills the home with wonderful smells and purges evil spirits through the night. A spontaneous kitchen gathering in the morning is guaaaaaaronteeeeeed.

Green onions or cilantro may be used as garnish. Serve with jalapeno cornbread. Laissons le bon temps rouler.