Description
Smokey, savory, spicy and slightly sweet, this hearty and comforting soup will be your new favorite.
Ingredients
1.5–2 lb Smoked ham shank
1/2 lb dry black eye peas, soaked (see note)
10 cups of water, plus more if needed
1 bay leaf
5 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves)
1 can mild (or hot) diced green chilis
2 Tablespoons honey
5–8 large carrots
5 celery stalks
1 large onion
1 green bell pepper
Instructions
Simmer the ham shank in water with the bay leaf and thyme for 2 hours while covered. Alternatively, you could put these items in a crockpot on low in the morning and let it slow cook all day. Remove the shank and set aside.
Strain the broth (optional). Add the black eye peas, carrots, celery, and onion. Bring up to a boil and simmer for 25 minutes.
Add the green chilis, green bell pepper, and honey and simmer for 10 minutes longer. Season generously with salt and pepper and hot sauce to taste. Check the beans, if still crunchy, simmer for a bit longer.
This soup (and in my opinion all soup) is best served the next day. Enjoy it with cornbread or buttered rolls.
Notes
To Soak Beans
Place them in a container covered with more water than you think you need in the fridge overnight OR put in a pot with water, bring to simmer, cover, remove from heat and let sit for 2 hours.
If you don’t use enough water, or your container is tall and narrow, the beans will rise up and out of the water as they soak and expand and you’ll have a bunch of unsoaked crunchy beans. Can’t tell you how many restaurant cooks I’ve seen make this mistake.