By VPJ Staff
It doesn’t matter where you are from in the US or the world for that matter, there is nothing like a big bowl of soup on a cold day. The flip side of that is a cold bowl of gazpacho on a humid Miami afternoon. How about a big pot of Cajun gumbo, or a pot of clam chowder, or maybe a clean-out-the-fridge-veggie soup!
Soup is delicious and comforting. It’s what Mom gave you when you had the flu. It’s what you remember your granny stirring over the stove. My mom made her own noodles for her chicken soup. My wife makes a world-class split pea soup with a hambone. Now that’s something a lot of people won’t eat ever since they saw Linda Blair swivel her head in The Exorcist. More for me!!
When we phased into 2024, a lot of folks in the South cooked black-eyed peas, pork, cabbage, and cornbread for all the right reasons. ML found a recipe that we wanted to share with you. Now I have rules on leftovers. I will gladly eat them the second time but then they need freezing and will be fine in a while!! THIS SOUP MADE ME BREAK THOSE RULES!! It’s loaded with goodness, and the sweet/heat flavor combination keeps me coming back. We hope you enjoy.
Black-Eyed Pea and Sausage Soup
A great recipe for New Year’s Day, this simple soup simmers the traditional good luck peas along with smoky sausage and spicy salsa. Cornbread is a must for dunking.
1 pound smoked sausage, sliced
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 carrots, coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
4 cups frozen black-eyed peas (about 1 & 1/2 [16-ounce] packages)
3 (14 & 1/2-ounce) cans beef broth
1 (14 & 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano, undrained
1 (16-ounce) jar chipotle-flavored salsa
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Cook sausage in oil in a large Dutch oven, stirring until it browns. Remove sausage, reserving drippings in pan. Add onion and next 4 ingredients; sauté over medium-high heat 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in sausage, peas, broth, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 35 minutes. Stir in salsa, salt, and pepper; simmer 10 more minutes. Yield: 10 cups. This freezes well.