Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Place the dried black-eyed peas in a large bowl and cover them completely with cold water. Let them soak for 2 to 3 hours.
- In a large, heavy pan, cook the chopped bacon over medium heat until it is brown and crispy, which takes about 5 to 6 minutes.
- Add the ham hocks to the pan and cook them for 5 minutes.
- Add the onions, celery, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves to the pan. Sauté for about 3 to 5 minutes until the onions become soft.
- Pour in the chicken broth or water.
- Drain the soaked beans, rinse them, and add them to the pot. Season with Creole seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir the mixture and bring it to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring sometimes, until the beans are tender and reach your desired thickness.
- Stir in the fresh chopped spinach.
- If the beans become too thick while cooking, add more stock or water until the texture is soupy.
- Remove the bay leaves from the soup. Adjust the salt and pepper seasoning if necessary. Serve the soup with fresh bread.
Nutrition
Notes
Soak the beans in cold water with three tablespoons of salt for 3 to 4 hours before cooking. This helps soften the beans and adds flavor. If you are short on time, you can skip soaking, but the cooking time will increase by about ten minutes. Alternatively, you can quick-soak by covering the peas with two inches of water, bringing them to a boil, turning off the heat, and letting them rest for one hour before starting to cook.