This boldly flavored spin on Hoppin’ John replaces salt pork or bacon with lean pork chops. Plus we’ve added greens—in this case kale—a traditional accompaniment with the dish. Serve with cornbread and a glass of Spanish rioja.

1 pound boneless pork chops, trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup instant brown rice
8 cups roughly chopped kale leaves (about 1 small bunch), tough stems removed
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons cider vinegar or sherry vinegar
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, preferably hot (see Cook Tips)
1 15-ounce can black-eyed peas, rinsed

Toss pork with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the pork and cook, stirring, until just cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon.

Add onion, tomato paste and rice to the pan and cook until the onion softens, about 4 minutes. Add kale and garlic and cook until the kale begins to wilt, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in broth, vinegar, paprika and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until the rice is done, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the reserved pork and black-eyed peas and heat for 1 minute.

Smoked paprika is a spice made from grinding smoke-dried red peppers. It’s available in sweet, bittersweet and hot. Find it in the spice section of large supermarkets or at tienda.com.