MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.01
  
       Title: Hoppin' John
  Categories: Southern, Low country
       Yield: 6 servings
  
       1 c  Small dried peas such as
            -cowpeas or black-eyes
       6 c  Water
       1    Dried hot pepper (opt)
       1    Smoked ham hock
       1 md Onion, chopped (~3/4 cup)
       1 c  Long-grain white rice
  
   Wash and sort the peas. Place them in a saucepan, add the water, and
   discard any peas that float. Gently boil the peas with the pepper, ham
   hock and onion, uncovered, until tender but not mushy - about 1 1/2
   hours - or until 2 cups of liquid remain. Add the rice to the pot,
   cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes, never lifting the lid.
   
   Remove from the heat and allow to steam, still covered, for another 10
   minutes. Remove the cover, fluff with a fork, and serve immediately.
 
     from “Hoppin' John’s Lowcountry Cooking,” Bantam Books, Copyright 1992 by
  John Martin Taylor
  
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