BLACK-EYED PEA & HAMBONE SOUP

Black-Eyed Pea & Hambone Soup image

Provided by Busters friend

Time 1h55m

Yield 8-10 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 10

1 ham bone (smoked ham with some meat, gristle & skin if possible, like the smoked ham's bone & the shank end)
2 tablespoons olive oil
water, to cover ham bone
1 onion, large yellow, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
32 ounces frozen black-eyed peas (peas & snaps if you can get them)
2 bell peppers, diced
4 cayenne bell peppers, coarsely chopped (your choice on hot peppers)
salt, to taste
white pepper, to taste

Steps:

Place ham bone in soup pot large enough to allow bone to be fully covered by water. Add olive oil & brown ham bone until dark brown on one side. Add onions & saute until translucent & just beginning to brown. Add water to cover ham bone by 1/2 inch, cover pot & bring to boil then simmer 45 minutes.
Pour black-eyed peas into pot with ham bone & onions. Add green & cayenne peppers. Leave lid off & bring to boil then reduce to simmer for 60 minutes.
Remove ham bone & any other chunks of ham. Trim bone of meat & chop fine. Add back to pot (along with skin if you like the texture). Season to taste with salt & white pepper. Black pepper will do just fine if you do not have white pepper on hand.