SMOKY BLACK-EYED PEA AND SAUSAGE SOUP

SMOKY BLACK-EYED PEA AND SAUSAGE SOUP image

Number Of Ingredients 20

Ingredients

3/4 pound dried black-eyed peas
8 ounces thick-cut uncooked bacon, cut into 1/2 inchÂ pieces
1 pound smoked sausage such as kielbasa, diced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 celery rib, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 or 2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, chopped (this is individual chile peppers, not whole cans!)
6 cups water
1 bay leaf
3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Pinch ground cloves
Pinch cayenne
1 bunch (about 1/2 pound) lacinato or dinosaur kale, ribs removed and chopped
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
Rice, for serving (optional)
Cornbread, for serving (optional)

Steps:

Place the black-eyed peas in a large pot and cover with 2 inches of water. Bring the water to a boil, turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let the peas soak for 1 hour. Rinse and drain the black-eyed peas and leave them in the colander. In the same large pot, wipe out any excess water, and then add the bacon and sausage to the pot. While stirring occasionally, cook on medium heat until the fat is rendered from the bacon and it's just starting to crisp, and the sausage has browned. Remove the bacon and sausage from the pot with a slotted spatula and place into a large bowl. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of grease from the pot, saving the excess for another use. Turn the heat down to medium-low. Add the onion and celery and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and chopped chipotle chiles and cook for 30 more seconds. Pour the water into the pot and scrape the bottom of the pot to get all the cooked bits. Return to the pot the black-eyed peas, bacon, and sausage. Add to the pot the bay leaf, salt, cumin, thyme, clove, and cayenne. Stir until everything is well combined. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to low, partially cover the pot, and cook for 1 hour. After an hour, remove the lid and test the black-eyed peas to see if they'Âre tender. Depending on the age of the peas, they could be soft at this point or they may need to cook a bit longer. If they need to cook longer, test them every 15 minutes or so. Once the peas are cooked, to make the broth creamier, smash some of the peas with the back of a spoon on the side of the pot. Once this is done, stir in the kale, apple cider vinegar, and smoked paprika. Taste and adjust seasonings. (I usually add at least another teaspoon of salt at this point, but that's dependent on how salty the sausage and bacon is.) Cook for 10 more minutes or until the kale has wilted. Serve warm, with rice and/or cornbread if you prefer, though it's just fine on its own