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Photo of Hoppin’ John fritters by WW

Hoppin’ John fritters

3
Points® value
Total Time
1 hr 50 min
Prep
20 min
Cook
30 min
Serves
8
Difficulty
Easy
Hoppin’ John is a popular Southern dish of black-eyed peas and rice. It’s traditionally served on New Year’s Day to bring good luck. Here, it’s turned into crispy fritters that are baked instead of fried. The fritters need to freeze for a few hours before baking to ensure they hold their shape when cooked. If you'd like, you can freeze them for up to 1 month, and cook right from frozen for an extra few minutes longer.

Ingredients

Cooking spray

4 spray(s)

Unsalted butter

1 tbsp(s)

Onion

1 cup(s), white, chopped

Bell pepper

½ cup(s), green, chopped

Dried thyme

1 tsp(s), crushed

Bay leaf

1 leaf/leaves, broken in half

Kosher salt

½ tsp(s), divided

Black pepper

½ tsp(s), coarsely ground, divided

Garlic

2 clove(s), large, chopped

Canned black eye peas

14 oz, rinsed and drained

Hot sauce

1 tbsp(s)

Smoked paprika

½ tsp(s)

Cayenne pepper

¼ tsp(s)

Egg

3 large

Cooked medium grain brown rice

1 cup(s), cooled

Panko breadcrumbs

¾ cup(s)

Dried parsley

1 tbsp(s)

Instructions

  1. In large skillet, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add onion, bell pepper, thyme, bay leaf, 1⁄4 tsp salt, and 1⁄4 tsp black pepper. Cook, stirring often, until onion softens, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 30 to 45 seconds. Transfer to large bowl. Stir in peas, hot sauce, smoked paprika, cayenne, and remaining 1⁄4 tsp salt and 1⁄4 tsp black pepper. Discard bay leaf.
  2. Smash vegetables and peas with back of fork to mash some (but not all) peas. In small bowl, beat 1 egg. Mix rice and beaten egg into peas. Divide into 8 pieces and, using your hands, roll into tight balls.
  3. In shallow bowl, beat remaining 2 eggs. In another shallow bowl, combine breadcrumbs and parsley. Roll balls in eggs, then in breadcrumbs, pressing so breadcrumbs adhere. Transfer to baking sheet. Freeze balls until firm, at least 1 hour, or cover and freeze for up to 1 month.
  4. Preheat oven to 450°F. Remove balls from freezer and spray lightly with nonstick spray. Bake until fritters are crusty, deep golden brown, and heated through, 15 to 20 minutes (or about 25 minutes if frozen).
  5. Per serving: 1 fritter

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