by Gwen Pratesi • Chef Interviews, Recipes, Side Dishes
When asked why Charleston has so many great chefs and restaurants, Brock says “The circle is finally complete here”. There are many elements of this circle. The local people in Charleston are incredibly supportive and are open to anything he serves. Dishes that might not be welcomed in some cities are supported by the patrons in Charleston which gives the chef the opportunity to experiment. This was true in the 1600’s when rice first came to Charleston, and is true today. The city has grown up on great food, generation after generation.
“The chefs are now cooking with the proper ingredients with unique inspiration based on our history. People are coming here to experience it. If it tastes better, you will want more. It’s best for the environment, the economy and it’s just right.”
Charcuterie plate at Husk. Everything is made in-house.
Rabbit Rillettes with Green Goddess Dressing
If you dine at Husk or McCrady’s, you will eat vegetables that are just hours out of the ground, enjoy buttermilk benne seed rolls, savor housemade charcuterie and have a smoked heritage breed chicken with homemade barbecue sauce. You will then understand the passion Chef Brock has for bringing our foods back the way they should be and the way they were meant to be enjoyed. There is nothing better tasting than real food.
Thank you so much to Chef Brock for his time and graciousness during our visit. It was a truly inspiring and empowering experience.
Sea Island Red Peas
Chef Brock shared his recipe for Hoppin’ John with me. I ordered the authentic ingredients (Carolina Gold Rice and Sea Island Red Peas) from Anson Mills. (You can order them here.) I am a total convert after making this recipe. It is nothing like the rice and beans that we normally have once a year (New Year’s Day). This dish had incredible flavors because the focus was on good ingredients. It is a simple dish, easy to prepare and should be served on a regular basis. It is that good.
This ain’t your Momma’s Hoppin’ John!
We liked it best served as a stew with lots of broth in the bowl.
I could eat this as a meal by itself
We at Bunkycooks ask that you support your local farmers and bring the best to your table. Know where your food comes from.
Enjoy!
You might like to read another interview of Chef Brock by Joyce at Friends Drift Inn.
Print Recipe
Hoppin' John
Yield: 6-8 as a side dish
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Ingredients:
For the red peas:
1 cup Anson Mills Sea Island Red Peas, soaked in water and refrigerated overnight, drained
2 quarts stock (preferably pork, but chicken will do)
1 large onion, medium dice
1 large carrot medium dice
2 celery stalks, medium dice
2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced thin
1 bay leaf
For the rice:
1 cup Anson Mills Carolina Gold Rice
Salt and Cayenne pepper to taste
7 Cups Water
4 Tablespoons Butter
Directions:
For the red peas: For the rice: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Spread the rice onto a sheet tray. Place it in the oven to dry, stirring occasionally (mine took about 10 minutes). Be careful not to smash the rice. Dice the butter and spread evenly over the rice. Continue stirring every few minutes until the butter has melted.
In a large stockpot, bring the stock to a simmer and add all ingredients. Cook for 1 hour over low heat, partially covered. When peas are tender, season with salt.
Bring the water and salt to a boil in a heavy-bottomed stock pot. Add the rice, stir once, and return to a simmer. Simmer gently, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the rice is almost fully cooked, about 15 minutes (do not overcook). Drain the rice and rinse with cold water.
Recipe Courtesy of Executive Chef Sean Brock – McCrady’s and Husk
Charleston, South Carolina
Page: 1 2 3 4
End of Article.
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posted on June 20, 2011 in Chef Interviews, Recipes, Side Dishes
20 comments »
About the Author
Gwen Pratesi
Gwen Pratesi is a James Beard Foundation Award Finalist in Journalism and an award-winning travel writer. She is the author and owner of PratesiLiving.com with her husband and a regular contributor to the Travel section of U.S. News & World Report. She also freelances for other publications including The Points Guy, USA TODAY, Cruise Critic, Travel + Leisure, Garden & Gun, Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, Reader's Digest, Forbes Travel Guide, Smarter Travel, TripAdvisor, Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Magazine and World Travel Magazine. Her work has also been featured on MSN, Yahoo!, Business Insider, and SheKnows.Gwen chronicles her love of international travel and experience as a professional home cook on PratesiLiving.com, where she shares the stories of some of the world's most sought-after destinations and cruise lines, highly regarded chefs, restaurateurs, farmers, wine and spirits producers and culinary artisans.She and her husband are enjoying the coastal lifestyle in Florida with their Tibetan Terrier, Rhythm.
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20 comments on “Interview with Chef Sean Brock – Charleston, SC and a recipe for Hoppin’ John” -
Susan in the Boonies — June 20, 2011 @ 5:06 pm Reply
We make Hoppin’ John every New Year’s Day as well.
How cool that you tried it with the local varietals! I’m sure it was well worth it!
-
Gwen — June 20, 2011 @ 6:50 pm Reply
Hi Susan,
You should try this recipe made with the heirloom ingredients. There was no comparison to what I made with the Carolina Gold Rice and Sea Island Red Peas with what I have had in the past. 🙂
Gwen
-
Lynn Lekander — June 20, 2011 @ 5:17 pm Reply
This is a really interesting piece – I love Chef Brock’s use of heirloom seed to grow food that he prepares. Beautiful piece, terrific pictures, thank you!
-
Gwen — June 20, 2011 @ 6:53 pm Reply
Thank you, Lynn. We had a great visit with Chef Brock and the discussions about our current food situation were truly inspiring.
-
Denise@There's a Newf in My Soup! — June 20, 2011 @ 6:22 pm Reply
Facinating interview. It’s wonderful seeing more and more chefs with their own farms and gardens, Farmers’ Markets cropping up everywhere, and heirloom varieties more readily available. It makes eating out and cooking at home more interesting, enjoyable, and healthy. And that’s quite a work of art on Chef’s arm!
-
Gwen — June 20, 2011 @ 6:56 pm Reply
Hi Denise,
I know you and John appreciate great ingredients and the difference it makes in our cooking. I hope that these interviews make more people aware of the incredible chefs that are out there championing bringing back the heirloom foods that should be available to us. It is what is normal and what is right.
Gwen
-
Nelly Rodriguez — June 20, 2011 @ 8:05 pm Reply
A friend of mine works at Husk and has been telling me of how I should make a little culinary trip to SC! After reading this, I definitely want to! Thanks for sharing!
-
Tammy Brawley — June 21, 2011 @ 8:40 am Reply
Sean Brock is, in my opinion, the best chef on the planet. We ate at McCrady’s Valentine’s Day, 2010 and the menu was spectacular. I am dying to get back to Charleston and try Husk. His appreciation for heirlooms, animal treatment and food in general is a lesson for us all, professional chefs and home cooks alike!
-
Drick — June 21, 2011 @ 8:53 am Reply
So great of you Gwen to focus on this chef and the cause of bringing back regional ingredients.
I remember when I posted my recipe for Hoppin’ John I came across this and thought you might enjoy as to one explanation of the origin of its name – “reported by Raymond Sokolov, former Food Editor of the New York Times, that the dish goes back at least as far as 1841, when, according to oral tradition, it was hawked in the streets of Charleston, South Carolina, by a crippled black man who was known as Hoppin’ John.”
-
Gwen — June 21, 2011 @ 10:30 am Reply
Hi Drick,
Thank you for your comment. I thought you might enjoy this interview. I did come across several theories on the origins of Hoppin’ John and that was one of them. I guess we will never know how it really happened, but when made with Carolina Gold Rice and Sea Island Red Peas, I am glad that someone created the dish!
Gwen
-
Lana @ Never Enough Thyme — June 21, 2011 @ 8:55 am Reply
What an interesting interview. It is so refreshing to hear of someone with such a passion for bringing back our “heritage” food products. I have been saying for years that our foods just don’t taste like they used to and it’s entirely because of the mass production and marketing of easily produced inferior products. I grew up on a farm where we had our own chickens, cows and pigs along with a large garden every years. Sadly, I no longer have access to those local products. Even many of the local “produce stands” and farmers markets aren’t really selling locally produced goods.
We just happen to be going to Charleston this weekend. Guess where we’ll be dining?
-
Gwen — June 21, 2011 @ 6:59 pm Reply
Hi Lana,
Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment. I totally agree. and yes, unfortunately, the Farmer’s Markets are not all selling locally sourced produce. Our food is so bland now that we are having to use more spices and salt just to get any flavor from the dishes. It is so sad that no one knows how food is really supposed to taste.
Some of the best meals we have had are made with locally sourced produce and humanely raised animals. It tastes like food should and doesn’t need all the extra seasonings.
Enjoy your trip to Charleston! We love the city and so many restaurants there are fabulous! Let me know if you need any other recommendations other than Chef Brock’s restaurants (and I highly recommend both of those). 🙂
Gwen
-
Carolyn Binder — June 21, 2011 @ 10:01 am Reply
What a wonderful and educational review about a topic that is so dear to my heart. I’m ordering the rice and beans right now! Thanks, Gwen!
-
Carolyn Binder — June 21, 2011 @ 10:10 am Reply
I love the Anson Mills site–thanks for the link. I just ordered a ton of goodies to bake with. Yum!
-
Gwen — June 22, 2011 @ 12:12 pm Reply
Hi Carolyn,
Thank you for the comment and I am so glad you ordered some items from Anson Mills. You will be hooked! Enjoy. 🙂
Gwen
-
Lori — June 23, 2011 @ 8:38 am Reply
I finally made it to Charleston for the first time in March. Amazing! I can’t wait to go back. I was able to take a culinary tour and while we didn’t go to Husk, we did hear all about it. Excellent interview and photos! Gives me even more reason to return.
-
Kim — June 26, 2011 @ 6:01 pm Reply
Gwen – wonderful interview!
I agree that we’ve been dumbed down with that’s mass produced. I had to travel to Ojai to taste the most beautiful strawberries I’ve ever tasted… because they were so delicate they’d never make the drive down to where I live.
I also had a dream last night that the RGB was open, and were raising chickens both for eggs and for meat that were serving right back in the bistro. By the sounds of this interview, that is quite possible, yes?!
How about doing another On the Road tour to this place so I can come along this time?!
[K]
-
Carolyn Binder — July 2, 2011 @ 8:53 pm Reply
Making my hoppin’ John right now. The beans smell amazing. I love how little and perfect they are.
-
Carolyn Binder — July 2, 2011 @ 10:29 pm Reply
The verdict? The best Hoppin’ John we’ve ever tasted. Please tell Chef we loved it, and thank you for sharing. It’s well worth ordering the ingredients you recommended to have a sample of the rich, original flavors. We have given up so much, and it’s great to bring it back.
-
Sheila — March 19, 2013 @ 5:28 pm Reply
Oh what a wonderful write-up! I love Husk, and make a point of eating there every time I’m in Charleston. So wonderful to see this as I plan my next Charleston trip!
Leave a Reply
Susan in the Boonies — June 20, 2011 @ 5:06 pm Reply
We make Hoppin’ John every New Year’s Day as well.
How cool that you tried it with the local varietals! I’m sure it was well worth it!
-
Gwen — June 20, 2011 @ 6:50 pm Reply
Hi Susan,
You should try this recipe made with the heirloom ingredients. There was no comparison to what I made with the Carolina Gold Rice and Sea Island Red Peas with what I have had in the past. 🙂
Gwen
Lynn Lekander — June 20, 2011 @ 5:17 pm Reply
This is a really interesting piece – I love Chef Brock’s use of heirloom seed to grow food that he prepares. Beautiful piece, terrific pictures, thank you!
-
Gwen — June 20, 2011 @ 6:53 pm Reply
Thank you, Lynn. We had a great visit with Chef Brock and the discussions about our current food situation were truly inspiring.
Denise@There's a Newf in My Soup! — June 20, 2011 @ 6:22 pm Reply
Facinating interview. It’s wonderful seeing more and more chefs with their own farms and gardens, Farmers’ Markets cropping up everywhere, and heirloom varieties more readily available. It makes eating out and cooking at home more interesting, enjoyable, and healthy. And that’s quite a work of art on Chef’s arm!
Gwen — June 20, 2011 @ 6:56 pm Reply
Hi Denise,
I know you and John appreciate great ingredients and the difference it makes in our cooking. I hope that these interviews make more people aware of the incredible chefs that are out there championing bringing back the heirloom foods that should be available to us. It is what is normal and what is right.
Gwen
Nelly Rodriguez — June 20, 2011 @ 8:05 pm Reply
A friend of mine works at Husk and has been telling me of how I should make a little culinary trip to SC! After reading this, I definitely want to! Thanks for sharing!
Tammy Brawley — June 21, 2011 @ 8:40 am Reply
Sean Brock is, in my opinion, the best chef on the planet. We ate at McCrady’s Valentine’s Day, 2010 and the menu was spectacular. I am dying to get back to Charleston and try Husk. His appreciation for heirlooms, animal treatment and food in general is a lesson for us all, professional chefs and home cooks alike!
Drick — June 21, 2011 @ 8:53 am Reply
So great of you Gwen to focus on this chef and the cause of bringing back regional ingredients.
I remember when I posted my recipe for Hoppin’ John I came across this and thought you might enjoy as to one explanation of the origin of its name – “reported by Raymond Sokolov, former Food Editor of the New York Times, that the dish goes back at least as far as 1841, when, according to oral tradition, it was hawked in the streets of Charleston, South Carolina, by a crippled black man who was known as Hoppin’ John.”
-
Gwen — June 21, 2011 @ 10:30 am Reply
Hi Drick,
Thank you for your comment. I thought you might enjoy this interview. I did come across several theories on the origins of Hoppin’ John and that was one of them. I guess we will never know how it really happened, but when made with Carolina Gold Rice and Sea Island Red Peas, I am glad that someone created the dish!
Gwen
Lana @ Never Enough Thyme — June 21, 2011 @ 8:55 am Reply
What an interesting interview. It is so refreshing to hear of someone with such a passion for bringing back our “heritage” food products. I have been saying for years that our foods just don’t taste like they used to and it’s entirely because of the mass production and marketing of easily produced inferior products. I grew up on a farm where we had our own chickens, cows and pigs along with a large garden every years. Sadly, I no longer have access to those local products. Even many of the local “produce stands” and farmers markets aren’t really selling locally produced goods.
We just happen to be going to Charleston this weekend. Guess where we’ll be dining?
-
Gwen — June 21, 2011 @ 6:59 pm Reply
Hi Lana,
Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment. I totally agree. and yes, unfortunately, the Farmer’s Markets are not all selling locally sourced produce. Our food is so bland now that we are having to use more spices and salt just to get any flavor from the dishes. It is so sad that no one knows how food is really supposed to taste.
Some of the best meals we have had are made with locally sourced produce and humanely raised animals. It tastes like food should and doesn’t need all the extra seasonings.
Enjoy your trip to Charleston! We love the city and so many restaurants there are fabulous! Let me know if you need any other recommendations other than Chef Brock’s restaurants (and I highly recommend both of those). 🙂
Gwen
Carolyn Binder — June 21, 2011 @ 10:01 am Reply
What a wonderful and educational review about a topic that is so dear to my heart. I’m ordering the rice and beans right now! Thanks, Gwen!
Carolyn Binder — June 21, 2011 @ 10:10 am Reply
I love the Anson Mills site–thanks for the link. I just ordered a ton of goodies to bake with. Yum!
-
Gwen — June 22, 2011 @ 12:12 pm Reply
Hi Carolyn,
Thank you for the comment and I am so glad you ordered some items from Anson Mills. You will be hooked! Enjoy. 🙂
Gwen
Lori — June 23, 2011 @ 8:38 am Reply
I finally made it to Charleston for the first time in March. Amazing! I can’t wait to go back. I was able to take a culinary tour and while we didn’t go to Husk, we did hear all about it. Excellent interview and photos! Gives me even more reason to return.
Kim — June 26, 2011 @ 6:01 pm Reply
Gwen – wonderful interview!
I agree that we’ve been dumbed down with that’s mass produced. I had to travel to Ojai to taste the most beautiful strawberries I’ve ever tasted… because they were so delicate they’d never make the drive down to where I live.
I also had a dream last night that the RGB was open, and were raising chickens both for eggs and for meat that were serving right back in the bistro. By the sounds of this interview, that is quite possible, yes?!
How about doing another On the Road tour to this place so I can come along this time?!
[K]
Carolyn Binder — July 2, 2011 @ 8:53 pm Reply
Making my hoppin’ John right now. The beans smell amazing. I love how little and perfect they are.
Carolyn Binder — July 2, 2011 @ 10:29 pm Reply
The verdict? The best Hoppin’ John we’ve ever tasted. Please tell Chef we loved it, and thank you for sharing. It’s well worth ordering the ingredients you recommended to have a sample of the rich, original flavors. We have given up so much, and it’s great to bring it back.
Sheila — March 19, 2013 @ 5:28 pm Reply
Oh what a wonderful write-up! I love Husk, and make a point of eating there every time I’m in Charleston. So wonderful to see this as I plan my next Charleston trip!
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