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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 0 Minutes |
Ready In: 0 Minutes Servings: 8 |
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Hoppin' John is a traditional southern dish of black-eyed peas and salt pork served with rice. Here, it's a risotto dotted with black-eyed peas and flavored with bacon and pancetta. This is an unconventional method for making risotto rather than slowly adding hot stock to the rice, Rollins adds it, unheated, in just 2 batches. This will allow you more time for preparing the chops that go along with it. Ingredients:
4 bacon slices, chopped |
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces |
2 pounds yellow onions (8 medium), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise |
1 1/4 teaspoons table salt |
1 (10-ounce) box frozen black-eyed peas, thawed, or 1 (15-ounce) can, rinsed and drained |
1 medium red onion, finely chopped |
1/4 cup finely chopped celery |
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic |
2 1/2 cups arborio rice (17 1/2 ounces) |
1/2 cup dry white wine |
2 ounces sliced pancetta (italian unsmoked cured bacon), cut into 1/4-inch dice (1/2 cup) |
1 tablespoon chopped fresh lemon thyme or regular thyme |
1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes |
8 cups chicken stock or chicken broth |
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice |
3/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper |
coarse sea salt to taste |
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley |
Directions:
1. Cook chopped bacon in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until bacon is crisp, about 6 minutes. Transfer bacon with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.
2. Add 2 tablespoons butter to bacon fat in skillet and heat over moderate heat until foam subsides, then cook sliced onions with 1/2 teaspoon table salt, stirring occasionally, until golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup caramelized onions in a bowl and set remaining caramelized onions aside in skillet.
3. While onions are caramelizing, simmer frozen black-eyed peas (if using) in 2 cups water in a 2-quart saucepan, uncovered, over moderate heat until just tender, about 15 minutes, and drain peas in a colander.
4. Cook red onion and celery in 2 tablespoons butter in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add rice and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in wine and boil over moderately high heat until wine is reduced by half, about 2 minutes.
5. Add caramelized onions from skillet, black-eyed peas (cooked frozen ones or canned), pancetta, thyme, red pepper flakes, remaining 3/4 teaspoon table salt, and 4 cups chicken stock and briskly simmer, uncovered, over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until most of liquid is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Add remaining 4 cups chicken stock and briskly simmer, stirring occasionally, until most of liquid is absorbed and rice is just tender and creamy-looking, 15 to 20 minutes. Add remaining 8 tablespoons butter (1 stick) and lemon juice, stirring until butter is incorporated.
6. Divide risotto among 8 shallow bowls or dinner plates and sprinkle with bacon. If serving with verbena-brined pork chops (recipe precedes), top with chops. Sprinkle with coarse black pepper and sea salt, then top each serving with about 1 tablespoon reserved caramelized onion and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
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