Recipe: Black-Eyed Pea Soup

Black-Eyed Pea Soup
Source: How to Eat Like a Southerner and Live to Tell the Tale by Courtney Parker

1 pound fresh or frozen
black-eyed peas
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery
8 cups chicken and ham stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, for garnish
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil, or 1 teaspoon dried basil
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 bay leaves

Place the peas, onions, peppers, celery, basil, bay leaves, and stock in a large kettle and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover the kettle and simmer for 1-1/2 hours, until the vegetables are soft. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with tomatoes. Serve hot. Yield: 8 servings.