Black Eyed Peas

Dried peas are best for hopping john types of dishes;

frozen (or fresh: Divine) are best for cold salad types where they keep a discrete firm shape;

canned are best for hummus type spreads.

Stockup alert: The price of canned and frozen blackeyed peas plummets in the first 2 weeks of January to move the overstock from New Years Day. Same for frozen collards.

For a "Georgia Hummus"

substitute canned blackeyed peas for chickpeas

and sub peanut butter for tahini.

Black Eyed Pea Pate

2 Cans of Black Eyed Peas drained and rinsed
1 Block cream cheese
1/2 cup salsa
1 Onion
2 Garlic Cloves
Add all of this to a food processor and process to smooth

2 Green Bell Peppers Diced
1/2 Spanish Onion diced
Mix in to the smooth

2 Packages of gelatin
Add gelatin to a couple of tables of water heat to dissolve
Add to the mix
Use plastic wrap and a little oil in a mold add your mix and chill over night.

Serve with crackers

Black Eyed Pea cheesecake (yep cheesecake)

I basically use a typical cheesecake recipe add 1 can of rinse peas processed to smooth.
Add 3 cups of chocolate chips. Add 4 T of cocoa powder. 1/3 cup extra sugar. 4 T Walnut liquor or Amaretto.

Ingredients
1 pound dried black-eyed peas; picked and rinsed
8 cupsWater
kosher; coarse salt
5 cupsHot water
2 largesmoked ham hocks
1/2 cupOnions; chopped
1/2 teaspoonCrushed red pepper
2 Bay Leaves
1 tablespoongarlic; chopped fine
1 cupWhite rice
Calories Per Serving: 658

How to Prepare Southern Hoppin John Using Pressure Cooker

Quick Soak- place peas in pressure cooker with 8 cups water and 2 teaspoons of salt. Lock the lid in place and bring to high pressure over high heat. Adjust heat to maintain at high pressure and cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat and use natural release method. Lid lock will release when no pressure remains. Drain beans and continue.

In pressure cooker, add 5 cups hot water to the beans. Add ham hocks, onion, red pepper, bay leaves and garlic. Close lid and bring to high pressure. Adjust heat to maintain at high pressure. Cook 10 minutes. Remove from heat and use natural release method. Remove ham hocks and let cool.

Add rice and salt to pressure cooker and stir to mix through. Close lid and bring to low pressure. Adjust heat to stabilize at low pressure. Cook 15 to 18 minutes. Release pressure using the cold water method. (Place pressure cooker in sink and run cold water over the lid, but not the valve.)

Remove ham from bone and mix into peas and rice. Serve with your favorite hot pepper sauce on the side for added flavor.
Notes

This makes a passable version of Ham N' Blackeyes. But the slow cook version is better. Use that if you have the time.

Southern tradition dictates that a bowlful of Hoppin' John, a stew of black-eyed peas and rice, should be the first thing you eat on New Year's Day, guaranteeing a prosperous year (another version of this tradition says you'll have a lucky day for each pea you eat). This recipe can be made in the slow cooker, simmering all night long so it's ready for New Year's Day brunch. Be sure to soak the beans (overnight or using the quick-soak method) before putting them in the slow cooker.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours, 15 minutes
Ingredients:

1 pound dried black-eyed peas, soaked
1 onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 smoked ham hock
32 ounces low-sodium chicken stock
1 bay leaf
4 1/2 to 5 cups cooked white rice
Hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco Sauce

Preparation:

In a large (6 quart) slow cooker crock, combine the beans, onion, celery, bell pepper, ham hock and garlic. Pour the chicken stock into the slow cooker crock, and stir to combine ingredients. Add the bay leaf, and push it into the liquid until it's submerged.

Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours, until beans are tender. Discard the bay leaf and the ham hock.

To serve, spoon some white rice into a bowl and ladle Hoppin' John over the rice. Pass hot pepper sauce at the table for everyone to season to their liking.

This recipe for Hoppin' John serves 6 to 8 people.

Hopping John – pressure cooker version

Makes two 400-calorie servings.

1-1/2 oz diced salt pork
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 large green pepper, coarsely chopped
1/2 C dried black-eyed peas
1 C water
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 C cooked brown rice

In a pressure cooker, cook the salt pork to render out some of the fat, then throw in the onion and pepper and cook briefly. Add the peas and water, lock the pressure cooker lid, and cook for 14 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand until pressure releases naturally, about 10 minutes.

Open the cooker and stir in the garlic and the rice. Serve with hot sauce.