Black-Eyed Pea Soup, full of carrots, celery, onions, and collard greens, is the epitome of a lucky New Year's Day dish. With black-eyed peas for luck and greens, which symbolize money, you can't go wrong with this nutritious and delicious soup to welcome in the new year.
1pounddried black-eyed peassoaked overnight in water to rehydrate
1cuphamcubed, or one ham hock or ham shank
2tablespoonsolive oil
2carrotschopped
2ribs celerychopped
1yellow onionmedium, chopped
4clovesgarlicminced
2tablespoonsred wine vinegar
1pinchcrushed red pepper
1can diced tomatoes and green chiliesRotel
8cupschicken stock
2cupsfresh collard greensrinsed and cut into ribbons
½teaspoonkosher salt
¼teaspoonground black pepper
Instructions
Soak the peas overnight in a large bowl filled with water. Make sure to keep the water level at least two inches over the peas while they rehydrate. After they rehydrate, drain and rinse the peas.
Add olive oil to a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onions, carrots, celery, ham, ham hock, or ham shank. Cook until the vegetables have softened, which should take four to five minutes. Then, add the garlic and cook for one minute.
Add the drained peas, red wine vinegar, chicken stock, tomatoes and green chilies, kosher salt, and pepper and simmer covered for 30 minutes. Add the collard greens and cook uncovered for an additional 15-30 minutes, or until the peas are tender.
Serve immediately.
Notes
Serve the soup with cornbread or hoecakes. With the peas and greens, it is a complete nutritious meal all by itself.You can use a slow cooker or crockpot if you like to make this dish. Cook the onion, ham, garlic, carrots, and celery as directed. Put this and the rest of the ingredients in a slow cooker or crockpot and cook on high for four hours or low for eight hours. Do not add the collard green until the last hour of cooking.You can substitute fresh kale for the collard greens.Leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to four days. They can also be frozen in an airtight container for several months. If frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating in a saucepan on the stove.This soup can be made up to 48 hours ahead. Store in the refrigerator and heat in a saucepan on the stove. It will thicken after being refrigerated, and you may need to add additional chicken stock.You can substitute a ham bone or smoked turkey for the ham products.