Hoppin' John is a Southern dish made for New Year's Day with black-eyed peas or field peas, greens, and a ham hock.
Here was my beginning last year, with (clockwise) paprika, thyme, cumin, celery seed, and bay leaves.
My vegetarian version substitutes the smoked paprika for the flavor of smoked pork. This year I used pintos and kale.
Soak 1 pound dry pinto beans overnight in cold water, rinse and drain.
Add 4-6 tbsp. olive olive to pot in which beans will cook.
Before cooking, wash and chop the remaining ingredients.
Mince 2 shallots
Dice 4 large celery stalks,
and dice 2 large roasted red peppers (Nestos brand).
Add diced vegetables to the olive oil. Add 3 bay leaves and 4-6 cloves of garlic.
Add 4 tsp. bittersweet smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. turmeric.
Saute until shallots and garlic soften to make a sofrito.
Add soaked, rinsed beans to the sofrito above.
Add sufficient water to cover beans by 2 inches.
Add 2 tsp. of salt to the cooking water. Bring to low boil.
Julienne one medium bunch of Italian Black kale (also known as Laciniata kale).
Add kale to the cooking beans after they have boiled at least 1/2 hour. Turn heat down to simmer.
Continue to simmer for 1-1.5 hours, and serve with corn bread or rice, or both.
