Southern Bean Soup

1 cup dried beans cold water*
6 cups ham broth
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 onion, minced
3 tbsp fat
3 tbsp flour
salt and pepper
lemon
hard-cooked eggs

Cover beans with cold water and let stand overnight, or at least 6 hours**.

Drain and add beans to ham broth. Add celery and onions and cook slowly until beans become soft.

Strain; press beans through sieve. If necessary, add more water in order to have 5 cups soup.

Blend butter, flour, salt and pepper; stir into hot bean broth slowly and simmer until thickened. Serve hot with slices of lemon and hard cooked eggs.

*Black eyed peas may be used instead of beans.

**This is often made simply by covering beans and ham hock with cold water, and simmering until tender and thickened.