- 1 (16 oz.) pkg. frozen black-eyed peas
- 1 lb. boneless ham, chopped
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 serrano or jalapeno chilies, seeded and deveined
- 1 tsp. thyme
- 2 Tbsp. cilantro, minced
- 1/4 c. olive oil
- 12 c. chicken broth
- hot sauce to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
In a large stock pot heat the oil on medium heat. Add the ham, celery, onion, and chilies to the pot and saute until onions are transparent. Add peas, thyme, garlic and chicken broth; simmer for 1 hour. Remove from heat and allow soup to cool slightly. In a food processor combine the cilantro, salt, pepper, hot sauce and cooled soup mixture. Puree the ingredients until smooth. Put the mixture back into the stock pot and heat; simmer for 2 minutes.
Tips:
- This soup is excellent served with fresh sour dough bread or fried corn tortilla chips.
