Ingredients

The following ingredients have 6 Servings
  • 4 strips of bacon – I used low sodium
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 red or orange bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 bunch collard greens – stems removed, leaves coarsely chopped
  • 1 cup low sodium chicken broth, divided
  • 1/3 tsp salt
  • 3/4 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 14 1/2 oz can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
  • 2 tsp honey or maple syrup (optional)
  • 2/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/3 cup chopped scallions
  • 1 cup RiceSelect Arborio Rice
  • 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 10 cups water
  • pinch of salt

Instruction

  • Coat a large skillet with oil spray and heat on medium. Add the 4 strips of bacon when the skillet is hot. Cook until cooked to a crispy brown, about 10 minutes, turning occasionally. When the bacon is cooked to your liking, remove to a plate with a paper towel on it to absorb the excess grease. Pour the extra grease from the skillet into an empty can, leaving a bit of the bacon bits and grease in the pan for flavor. When the bacon has cooled, break it up into bite sized bits and reserve to finish the dish.
  • Add the olive oil to the skillet used for the bacon, heat on medium low. Add the onion, cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the bell pepper, cook for another 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
  • Stir the collard greens into the skillet in 2 or 3 batches. These bulky greens take up a lot of space until they start to cook down. After you have added all the greens, stir in 1/2 cup of chicken broth, salt, paprika and dried thyme. Cover, and simmer on medium low for about 10 minutes. Stir in the black-eyed peas, cover the skillet, and cook for another 10 minutes. Keep warm until the rice is ready to add to the skillet.
  • After adding the greens to the skillet, add the 2 cups chicken broth and the water to a large pot. Bring to a boil, the add the RiceSelect Arborio Rice to the water. Cook the rice for 15 to 18 minutes until just tender. When the rice is done, drain it in a colander that doesn’t have very big holes.
  • After the arborio rice has cooked and been drained, stir the rice into the skillet with the collard green mixture along with the remaining 1/2 cup of chicken broth and the bacon bits. Cook for about 3 minutes to let the flavors meld, then stir in the cheese, scallions and honey if using. Give the cheese 1 or 2 minutes to let it melt, then you are ready to plate and enjoy your Hoppin’ John Risotto with RiceSelect!