Hoppin' Pea Soup Recipe

Aurora Catering's

Hoppin’ Pea Soup
Yield about 1 -1/2 gallons

Ingredients
2 LBS BLACK EYE PEAS
2- 12OZ DIXIE JAZZ (AMBER LIGHT) BEER
1- 12 OZ DIXIE GOLDEN BEER
½ LB SMOKED CHAURICE SAUSAGE (sliced into thin disks)
1/3 LB TASSO (Cubed into ¼ inch pieces)
3 LBS HAM CUBES ( ½ inch cubes)
1 HAMBONE (not too closely trimmed of meat)
3 LARGE ONIONS (Chopped)
4 STALKS CELERY (Chopped)
1 -1/2 TBSP WHOLE THYME LEAFS
1 TBSP SWEET DRIED BASIL LEAFS
10 WHOLE BAY LEAFS
3 TBSP GRANULATED GARLIC
6 MEDIUM FRESH JALAPEÑO PEPPERS (De-seeded and chopped)
1 GALLON WATER
SALT TO TASTE
2 TSP* WHITE PEPPER
1 TSP* CAYENNE PEPPER

Method
In a 3 gallon stock pot combine all ingredients and over high heat bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium low and simmer covered for ½ hour taste the stock and adjust with the salt, white and red peppers. Then continue to simmer the peas for an additional hour or until they are soft.

Plate Presentation
Serve over Chicken Stock Rice.

Chef's Notes:
*This is a dish that is difficult to gauge the spices. Tasso, jalapeños and chaurice can vary in heat sensation. Also the saltiness in hams can vary greatly, I suggest that you taste the broth half way through the cooking and adjust then.

This dish should be eaten immediately after cooking. I like the thin broth of the peas, after they set a while they will start to break up and become chalky very quickly. Red beans will cream but black eye peas seam chalk.

It is traditional in the South to serve black eye peas for New Years. We never have in my family. But this year (‘98) I received an email from lynnvickie asking me about Hoppin’ Jack Soup. She gave me some basic ingredients and we just took it from there. Thanks to Bill, Cindy, Mark, Jim and everyone who assisted in "testing" the peas.

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