the id, the ego, & the single misfiring brain cell

So I was looking for something to do with a package of black-eyed peas I had in the fridge, right? Checked around for some recipes, and discovered...hoppin' john. 

I think it's Southern, but nothing I've ever heard of, let alone tried. (That I remember, anyway. Our black-eyed peas were usually cooked the scriptural way, with a slab of salt pork in a pan and some water.)

I love the name, by the way. :)

So here's what I did: 

Dice one large yellow onion, two green bell peppers, four diced stalks of celery, and half a bulb of garlic. Pour about 5 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot, and warm these goodies at a medium temperature, stirring often. Do this 5 to 10 minutes; the onions should start turning translucent. 

As an afterthought, chop about six green onions and add. :oops:

Add one cup of water and a couple of teaspoons of chicken bouillon. Turn up heat, put a lid on it, and boil about five minutes. 

Add one pound of frozen black-eyed peas, another cup of water, one can of Rotel tomatoes, two tablespoons of lemon juice, three tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, about a teaspoon of cumin, a tablespoon of black pepper, and a pinch or two of red pepper flakes. Clap the lid on, turn the heat down, and let 'er cook. Stir occasionally, if only to wonder if it needs anything else or is perfect the way it is. 

Pour yourself some wine and have a fun discussion/argument on the internet. Get bored and return to the pot. It needs...something, does it not? Almost all onion and bell pepper, and almost no peas, looks like. Hm. 

Add another two cups of water, another tablespoon of chicken bouillon, and about a cup of rice. Stir it in, and let it simmer--at least 30 minutes, but the longer, the better. 

Oh WOW, but this is awesome. Basically vegan hoppin' john (except I use chicken bouillon; I don't know if any chickens were harmed in the making of it, and frankly, I don't care). 

Rather healthy, too. :)

d