Hoppin' John Soup

There are so many different traditions related to food on New Year's Day. In the area where we live, a common tradition is to have pork and sauerkraut for luck. This year, while perusing recipes online, I stumbled across a recipe for Hoppin' John soup, which is also supposed to be a lucky dish to eat on the first day of the New Year, but tends to be more of a southern tradition. I decided to give it a try as something different.  I have to admit that while it did look good, I was not anticipating it being a huge hit. Let me tell you, it was.  And I hope that this soup isn't meant to be eaten only on New Year's Day, because I plan to make it all year long.  I don't know that I have ever cooked anything with Black Eyed Peas (which are actually beans, not peas, so you can eat them, Dad, despite the fact that you won't go near green peas with a ten foot pole) and my experience with Collard Greens is very limited, but the flavor combination in this soup had my whole family going back for more.  As for the luck it is supposed to bring, so far so good!  Happy New Year, all!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 small bunch (about 1 pound) collard greens
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 ounces smoked ham steak, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium carrot, chopped (I used a handful of baby carrots because I was out of whole)
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 dried bay leaf
• One 15 1/2-ounce can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
• One 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, with juices
• 2 cups cooked brown rice (I used a packet)
• Dash of hot sauce, preferably Tabasco
• Dash of Worcestershire sauce
• Parmesan cheese, grated, for topping 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Remove the stems and center ribs from the collard greens. Stack about six leaves on top of each other, roll into a cigar shape, and slice into thin ribbons. 
2. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, toss in the ham, onion, garlic, carrot, and celery, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are tender, roughly 4 minutes. Sprinkle in the red-pepper flakes, and season with salt and pepper. Add the collard greens, and sauté until they begin to soften. 
3. Pour in the chicken broth, the bay leaf, the black-eyed peas, and the can of tomatoes with their juices. Bring to a simmer, and cook for 30 minutes. Stir the rice into the soup to warm. Taste for seasoning, and add more salt and pepper, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. 
4. Spoon into bowls, and sprinkle each bowl with Parmesan cheese. 

I wish this picture did it justice!

Difficulty: easy

Time: 15 minutes prep, about 40 minutes cooking

Source: adapted from www.tastebook.com