A spin on the classic rice dish from the Southern U.S.
I was going through old files from the restaurant trying to decide what to post next, when I found an article from 2011 in A-Line Magazine about Myra and this recipe! Several people have requested this dish, so I decided it was meant to be.
The nice thing about this recipe is that you can make all of the parts ahead of time and put it together whenever you want. I love black-eyed peas, so I am going to make it with them. You can also use spicy Black Bean Soup—or some of both, which is what is suggested in the article from 2011. Myra always cooked dried black-eyed peas and put the extras in the freezer. If you have any left over, don’t leave them in the refrigerator—they won’t last very long. Be sure to use a green pepper of some kind, even though you are adding salsa. It gives a nice crunch to the dish. And, of course I’m going to use a poblano pepper instead of a green bell pepper because they are fresh from New Mexico this time of year in Denver!
Hoppin’ Juan
Equipment
- 1 rice cooker, or your favorite rice pot
- 1 pot to cook the black-eyed peas
- 1 knife and cutting board
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked brown rice (2 cups uncooked)
- 2 cups dried black-eyed peas (aprox. 4 cups cooked) or one small can of black-eyed peas
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 or 3 green onions or onion of your choice I like green onions for this
- 1/2 cup pepper: green bell pepper, or chile pepper of your choice, chopped.
- 1 cup James' salsa (or more to taste)
Instructions
- Cook the brown rice according to directions
- Cook the black-eyed peas: 2 cups of dried beans in a small pot on the stove. Cover with 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil and turn to simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. Test the beans to see if they are tender. Too high heat or over cooking them will make them fall apart. Cook for another 10 or 15 minutes if needed. Drain and store in the freezer if not using right away.
- Gather the rest of the ingredients: Chop the onions, and the pepper, grate the cheddar cheese, get out the salsa.
- When everything is cooked place 1 cup of rice on each plate, with 2/3 cup of black-eyed peas on top. Next cover with 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese, 1/3 cup salsa, 2 TBLS of onions and 2 TBLS of green peppers. You can finish it in the microwave, if it's not hot enough to melt the cheese.
Notes
2 responses to “Hoppin’ Juan”
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So glad to have found this blog! I discovered tonight as I was walking my dog in the snowstorm, that I live around the corner from Brian, an 18 year veteran of the restaurant. He told me about your site!
Myra’s Dionysus was like ShangriLa when I moved to Cincinnati with my two young sons from Mexico in 2009. What a blessing the restaurant was for us!
My boys’ favorite item was the Green Salsa Burrito. I would love love love the recipe if you have it to share!
As an aside, I have worked at the Corryville Library for 15 years. Myra came in faithfully every week to return her books and leave with a new stack. We spoke enthusiastically about food and books and current events, sometimes in the same sentence. Her smile and authenticity lit up the space. What a gift she was to the tired and hungry!
Thank you for creating this space!-
So glad to hear you found the blog! The Green chile soup recipe is the one used in the burritos. Enjoy!
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