Hoppin’ John

Ingredients

8 slices thick-cut bacon, thickly chopped.

12 ounces andouille sausage, sliced.

1 pound black-eyed peas

8 cups chicken stock

1 medium onion

1 red bell pepper

4 cloves garlic

1 tsp thyme, chopped.

2 bay leaves

2 tsp Cajun seasoning

2 cups kale, chopped.

1 jalapeno pepper

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Soak peas overnight. Sauté bacon in a Dutch oven till brown and crispy; remove bacon but leave the fat. Add andouille sausage to the fat and cook until lightly browned and crispy; remove.

Add onion and peppers and cook for 2-3 minutes or until slightly opaque. Add garlic and cook another minute. Add bacon and sausage back to the pan and stir to combine. Add beans and chicken stock; add thyme, bay leaves, Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper.

Bring mixture to a rolling boil, then turn down to simmer for two hours. About twenty minutes before serving add the chopped kale and continue to cook at simmer until the kale is cooked. Remove bay leaves before serving. Add more seasoning to taste. If mixture becomes too thick, add more chicken stock.

Serve over rice or with bread.