Southern New Year's Day Soup

Total Time: 3 hrs 20 mins
Preparation Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried black-eyed peas


• 1 lb cubed ham


• 1 lb lean stewing beef, cut into bite-size pieces


• 3 bay leaves


• 2 teaspoons salt


• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed


• 24 ounces fresh collard greens, tough stems removed & roughly chopped


• frozen collard greens


• 1 tablespoon olive oil


• 1 medium onion, chopped


• 1 bell pepper, chopped


• salsa (chow-chow is good, too)

Recipe

• 1 wash and pick over the dried beans. cover with 2 inches of water and allow the beans to soak overnight.


• 2 in a stock pot, combine 2 quarts water, ham, beef, bay leaves and salt. bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 30 minutes.


• 3 rinse the soaked beans and add them to the pot. cook, uncovered, until tender, about 1 hour. add the potatoes and collards and boil for 10 minutes.


• 4 meanwhile, in a sauté pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. add onion and bell pepper and sauté until the onion is translucent, about 8 minutes. add the vegetables to the soup pot. reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 1 hour. salt to taste.


• 5 optionally top each serving with a garnish of a spoonful of salsa or chow-chow.