Hoppin’ John is a traditional southern dish of rice and black-eyed peas traditionally served on New Year’s Day to guarantee prosperity in the new year. That hearty, warming dish is in my New Year’s Day rotation, usually made with black-eyed peas I bought at the farmers market and put up in the freezer during the summer. Black-eyed peas are traditional on New Years, but they are in season in the summer. And they make a great cold salad, with a tender bite and earthy flavor. I’ve read recipes for hoppin’ john salad over the years, most using the peas only and those usually canned. But I wanted to create my own summer version, focusing on fresh peas, with truly Southern, tangy-sweet dressing and a hint of fresh from herbs and crunch from the classic vegetables of Southern cooking.

This hearty salad is a perfect side for a cook-out or a fried chicken lunch. It can be made ahead and held until ready to serve. It’s refreshing but filling enough to stand alone. It’s a pretty salad on the table (particularly in this Mississippi made McCarty Pottery Black-eyed Pea platter). When I have it on hand, I use Carolina gold rice t

Hoppin' John Salad with Bourbon Sorghum Vinaigrette

2015-06-29 10:22:51

Serves 8

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For the Salad

1. 1 cup long grain white rice
2. 1 pound fresh black eyed peas (frozen if that’s all you have)
3. 3 green onions, finely diced
4. 2 stalks celery, finely diced
5. 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
6. 1 green bell pepper, finely diced
7. 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh mint
8. 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

For the Vinaigrette

1. 1/3 cup cider vinegar
2. 3 Tablespoons bourbon
3. 1 Tablespoon sorghum
4. 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
5. ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
6. ½ teaspoon salt
7. 2/3 cup vegetable oil

Instructions

1. For the Salad
2. Place the rice in a strainer and rinse well, until the water flowing through it is no longer cloudy. Place the rice in a saucepan with 1 ½ cups water and bring to a boil. Cook until almost all the water is absorbed and little air bubbles form in the rice, about 10 – 12 minutes, stirring a few times to prevent sticking. Remove from the heat and tightly cover the pan. Set aside for 15 minutes, then fluff with a fork to separate the grains, then return to the strainer and rinse under cool water. Shake the rice to remove excess water and spread the rice on a tea towel to dry.
3. Place the black eyed peas in the saucepan and cover by about 1 inch of water and bring to a boil. Cook until the peas are just tender but with a little bite to them, about 15 minutes, then drain and rinse and spread on the tea towel.
4. When the rice and the peas are cool and relatively dry, toss them together in a big bowl using a fork. Add the diced celery, green onion and pepper and toss, then toss in the chopped herbs. Make sure everything is evenly distributed and break up any clumps of rice.
5. For the vinaigrette
6. Place all the ingredients in the carafe of a blender and blend until smooth and emulsified. Pour over the rice and peas and stir with the fork to coat everything. Cover and chill the salad several hours or overnight.

By The Runaway Spoon

The Runaway Spoon https://therunawayspoon.com/