Really Good Hoppin' John

[Southern Belle 2067]

1 (16-oz.) pkg dried fiels peas or black-eted peas
3 garlic cloves, peeled
3 bay leaves
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2-3 sprigs thyme
6 0z. salt pork
2 (8-oz.) smoked ham hocks 1 cup finely chopped medium-size sweet onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
10 cups water, divided
2 cups uncooked short-grain rice
3 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1 tsp. pepper
Chicken broth

Place field peas in a dutch oven, add water to cover 2" above peas. Bring to boil and boil 1 minute. Cover, remove from the heat and let stand 1 hour. Drain peas and set aside.

Place peeled garlic cloves and nest 3 ingredients in the center of a large coffee filter, bring ends up and ite with kitchen twin. Set garlic and herb bag aside.

Saute salt pork indutch oven over medium-low heat 10 minutes or until crisp. Remove slat pork, reserving drippings in dutch oven and discard.

Add ham hocks to dutch oven and cook 5 minutes or until skin becomes crispy and lean portion of the ham hock is tender.

Add onion and crushed garlic, saute 2 minutes. Add 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and cook uncovered, 1-1/2 hours.

Bring remaining 4 cups water to a boil in a saucepan,stir in rice and 2 tsp. salt. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Set rice aside.

Add fiels peas, garlic and herb bag, remaining 1 tsp. salt and pepper to ham hock mixturen dutch oven. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring and discard garlic-herb bag.

Stir cooked rice into field pea mixture, simmer 5 minutes or until heated through, add broth, if necessary.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Got this recipe out of an old Southern Living Book I had copied it and it is falling apart now, but we still enjoy this every New Year.