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Thursday, May 15, 2008

Spicy Collards and Black-eyed Pea Soup

I've had a package of pre-washed, pre-chopped collard greens in the fridge for a few days, and I was hoping to do something different with them. But as time went on and no new recipes came to mind, I started to get afraid that they'd go bad; at the very least, they were losing nutrients every day that they sat there (everything's always more nutritious closer to harvest.) So in the end, I took an old favorite soup, Lorna Sass' Collards and Black-eyed Pea Soup, and gave it the Louisiana treatment: green bell peppers, diced tomatoes, creole-type seasonings, and loads of spiciness. And since I love smokiness, I kind of went wild with three different smoky seasonings--chipotle powder, fire-roasted tomatoes, and smoked paprika--and my husband and I loved the results. I know that not everyone is the smoke addict that I am, so if you like spicy but not smoky, just substitute regular chili powder, regular diced tomatoes, and regular paprika.

Spicy Collard and Black-eyed Pea Soup

Spicy Collards and Black-eyed Pea Soup
(printer-friendly version)

2 onions, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
1 cup diced green bell pepper
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups dried black-eyed peas, picked over and rinsed
6 cups water
1 pound collard greens, tough stems removed and greens chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme (divided)
1 teaspoon oregano (divided)
1 16-ounce can tomatoes (fire-roasted preferred)
2 cups water (or vegetable broth)
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (to taste)
1/2 teaspoon chipotle pepper -- (to taste)
1/2 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
1 -2 teaspoons salt (to taste)
1 tablespoon double strength tomato paste (or 2 tbsp. regular)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Spray a pressure cooker or large pot with a light coating of olive oil or non-stick spray. (If your pot is non-stick, just add a little water instead.) Heat it and add the onions. Sauté for about 5 minutes, until they begin to brown. Add the celery, green pepper, and garlic, and cook, stirring, for 3 more minutes.

Add the black-eyed peas, water, 1 teaspoon of the thyme, and 1/2 teaspoon of oregano.

Cooking:
If using a pressure cooker, seal the cooker and cook for 10 minutes after it reaches high pressure; use a quick-release method to bring down the pressure.

If cooking in a regular pot, cook until peas are tender, about 45-55 minutes.
Once the peas are tender, add all remaining ingredients and cook for at least 25 minutes to allow flavors to develop. Serve with brown rice with additional hot sauce. (Garnishing with fresh oregano is optional.)

Makes at least 6 servings. Each provides 242 Calories (kcal); 1g Total Fat; (4% calories from fat); 16g Protein; 45g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 488mg Sodium; 11g Fiber. Weight Watchers Core/4 Flex Points.

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43 Comments:

Anonymous Annie said...

Wow, this looks amazing! Love the presentation.

6:08 PM, May 15, 2008  
Anonymous Dayna said...

Wow! This looks great and I love smokiness in foods. Now I finally will get up the courage to try collards instead of kale.

6:14 PM, May 15, 2008  
Blogger toontz said...

Susan-
What are you talking about? That photo looks absolutely delish!

6:46 PM, May 15, 2008  
Blogger Kelleen - Picks over Peas said...

Looks delicious to me, too. I'm always looking for ways to incorporate more greens into my diet, especially collards. Can't wait to try it!

7:45 PM, May 15, 2008  
Blogger Rachel said...

I love smoky too! I am always loading my food up with smoky herbs & spices.

10:04 PM, May 15, 2008  
Blogger aTxVegn said...

This soup looks fabulous, Susan! It's a wonderful smokey use of beans and greens.

I wish I could see your cooking demo. You're so knowledgable and I'm sure you'll be great.

10:28 PM, May 15, 2008  
Blogger Linda said...

The soup looks yummy with or without the garnish and colorful napkin!

10:54 PM, May 15, 2008  
Blogger Bianca said...

Yum! Two of my favorite foods!!! And I'm a smoky addict too. I put Liquid Smoke in everything!

BTW, I tried your vegan omelet recipe yesterday and again tonight...both turned into tofu scramble b/c I desperately need to buy new non-stick cookware. I blogged about the results tonight anyway...even though it wasn't pretty, this recipe made the best tofu eggs ever!!!

11:26 PM, May 15, 2008  
OpenID shellyfish said...

I think this looks great! (the napkin is cute, though)! I can't get black eyed peas here, or collards for that matter, but I sure wish I could! :)

11:31 PM, May 15, 2008  
Blogger katy said...

Even though I love kale and other dark leafy greens, I've so far found collards too bitter for my taste. Is their flavor very assertive in this dish? Would another green suffice, or would this soup win over a collard-hater like me? I want to like them, I really do, and this soup sounds too incredible to pass up - but I don't want to cook up a whole pot and then realize I can't stand to eat it...

12:14 AM, May 16, 2008  
Anonymous monica said...

Oh wow I am definitely going to make this - this is the kind of food I'm all about. And I always have greens on hand. Now I know what to do with those black-eyed peas I have in the freezer: leftovers from your creole peas recipe!

3:28 AM, May 16, 2008  
Blogger federal vegan (kate) said...

This looks great, and I've been trying for ages to use up a jar of black-eyed peas. Plus I just got a pressure cooker, yay! Thanks for another great recipe.

10:52 AM, May 16, 2008  
Blogger Nicolette said...

Hi Susan!

I love how you present your food in a appetizing, gorgeous way with understanding of healthy nutrients needed, and wholesome good ingredients! I'm a young teen vegetarian in Singapore and your blog posts always inspires me to be creative, yet at the same time stick to my own comfort of 'adventerous'!

You're taking a normal dish of collards and beans, and adding your own flavors and curiosity and turning it into a yummy meal that's great for dinners, parties, and just a relaxing night!

Wow! Ha ha :)

11:21 AM, May 16, 2008  
Blogger zlamushka said...

lovely dish. Looks liket he collard greens are emerging from the bowl :-) Lately you have published pictures with great serving bowl. Where do you get these, Susan?

2:07 PM, May 16, 2008  
Blogger meghan: sugar-shock.blogspot.com said...

i absolutely LOVE black eyed peas. thanks so much for posting this recipe!

2:47 PM, May 16, 2008  
Blogger Fat-Free Vegan said...

I don't think I can find collard greens in Australia. One thing we do have heaps of is something they call silverbeet. Silverbeet is more popular than English spinach in Australia and in fact many Aussies call it spinach, but I believe it's the same as what's called Chard or Swiss Chard in other countries. Do you think that would work as a substitute for collard greens?

1:26 AM, May 18, 2008  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Susan, I really enjoy your blog; I made yesterday the Spicy Collards and Black-eyed Pea Soup but I did not use collards, did not have them; I used frozen spinach instead, ommitted the tomato paste. It was really really amazing :) Thank you for all your excellent recipes. Your chocolate-orange cake IS the best (fat free) cake ever! I have made it twice; the second time I did not have orange juice, used peach juice instead and it was excellent too.

8:29 AM, May 18, 2008  
Blogger Wheeler's Frozen Dessert said...

This looks awesome! I love southern cooking ... yum :)

4:49 PM, May 18, 2008  
Blogger bazu said...

man oh man, that sounds like a perfect meal for me.

7:57 PM, May 18, 2008  
Anonymous rupa said...

hey Susan,

I am a regular at your blog and follow it religiously....Though I dont know if you recognise me ..please drop by at my blog for a little something...

7:13 AM, May 19, 2008  
Anonymous DianeB said...

I made this recipe a couple nights ago in the pressure cooker. I added more smoky paprika because I love the smoky flavor. It was delicious. I servd it over organic brown rice to my husband who eats vegan now, and 2 in-laws who are not vegans and they loved it. A wonderful, quick recipe. Thanks. I hope to meet you at the McDougall's Celebrity Chef Weekend in June as I see you are one of the presentors. Diane from Roseville, California

8:45 AM, May 20, 2008  
Blogger mustardseed said...

Hi Susan! What are collard greens? Do they have other names? I haven't seen them in Singapore before...and was wondering if they're replaceable in this recipe.

9:12 AM, May 29, 2008  
Blogger SusanV said...

Mustardseed, any sturdy green should work, and if you wait and add it at the end, you could even use something more tender like spinach. Collard greens are slightly bitter greens, but I'm sure this would taste good with kale, chard, or any other green.

9:37 AM, May 29, 2008  
Blogger mustardseed said...

Thanks Susan! I think I have spinach, and baby kailan, which is in a way, chinese kale. Same species (:

I think black eyed peas are cute!

10:44 AM, May 30, 2008  
Anonymous monica said...

Oh gee golly wow. I made this tonight with mixed beans and rainbow chard. It was SO good. I left out the hot sauce and used just a pinch of cayenne. I liked the underlying hint. My boyfriend and I LOVED this. Ate it with vegan cornbread. YUM.

4:08 PM, June 09, 2008  
Blogger Erndog said...

Made this for visiting family last night and everyone really enjoyed it!
My first time cooking with black-eyed peas and I don't have a pressure cooker. Didn't look as pretty as yours, but sure tasted great. :-)
Thanks!

8:08 AM, August 09, 2008  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This is really a great recipe. I took it up the the Lake in June when my 4 adult kids and families were coming up. All but one are carnivores which makes cooking challenging since my husand and I are vegans. I made this recipe and it was a big hit with everyone. Even my carnivore daughter in law asked for the recipe and has made it. We all love it and it is sooo healthy. Keep up the great cookin Susan. Diane from Roseville Ca

5:56 PM, August 24, 2008  
Blogger Mona said...

Another great recipe Susan, my husband loved this, as far as we're concerned it's the perfect way to ring in the new year. thanks!

11:40 PM, December 31, 2008  
Anonymous Carol in Cloverdale said...

Cooked this for mixed company (vegan, vegetarian, omnivore) for New Year's, and everyone loved it. Smokiness is not my thing and I don't keep those ingredients in my kitchen, but a smidge of curry powder and soy sauce balanced the rest of the flavors beautifully. Festive and flavorful!

5:15 PM, January 06, 2009  
Blogger Many things said...

YUMMY!! I made this with olive oil to brown the onions and celery, no bell peppers and 1 full Tablespoon of Smoked paprika, a teaspoon of my favorite chile powder, since I didn't have chipotle and a smidgen of ginger. I added a teaspoon of wine vinegar and Boy!! did everyone love it!! THANKS!!

2:36 PM, January 09, 2009  
Blogger Jenny said...

Help! So, 6 cups of water AND 2 cups of veg. broth? I am so excited to try this recipe!

11:04 AM, January 10, 2009  
Blogger SusanV said...

Jenny--yes, 6 cups of water to initially cook the blackeyed peas and then 2 cups of broth or water when the tomatoes are added.

11:09 AM, January 10, 2009  
Blogger Paul said...

Excellent yet again! I only did 2 things differently. I add some liquid smoke because I didn't have fire roasted tomatoes and I didn't add quite as much water because I wanted it more stew look. Now I have good eats all weekend!

12:35 PM, January 10, 2009  
Blogger Jenny said...

Thank you SO much, Susan, it turned out absolutely delicious! I adore your blog and check it every week.

1:01 PM, January 10, 2009  
Blogger Bijoux said...

I'm new to this but willing to try something new! Would someone tell me a little more about the chipotle pepper; am I looking in the produce isle for it or in a jar in the spice isle? Ditto for the smoked Spanish paprika? Are these things I can buy at Wal-Mart or FoodMaxx or do I need to fine them at the health good store?
Looks Yummie!

3:48 AM, January 12, 2009  
Blogger SusanV said...

Bijoux, I find chipotle chili pepper in the supermarket spice aisle. I haven't had luck finding smoked paprika there, but I have found it in the food section of stores like TJMaxx and Marshalls. I usually buy it online from one of the large spice stores, but if you can find it locally, it will be much cheaper. It will be in a can or jar.

7:59 AM, January 12, 2009  
Anonymous Monk said...

It's been pretty darn cold in the Washington, DC area and I have been craving soup. I'm just in the middle of reading "Eat to Live," and have read all about how we mindlessly cook our food in oil without realizing how much fat we're eating with our veggies. Anyway, this recipe looked great, sounded great, and the verdict is that it tastes absolutely delicious! I used canned black eyed peas and used 4 cups of vegetable stock, so I'm not entirely sure if my soup should have been more stew like, or if it wasn't soupy enough. It doesn't matter though - it had a wonderful flavor and I can't wait for another bowl of it today!!

9:21 AM, January 19, 2009  
Blogger Ashley K said...

i have never eaten collards OR black-eyed peas for me, so making this soup was definitely a step out of my comfort zone. however, it was DELICIOUS! i could not stop eating it. it was even better the next day. mm this will definitely become a winter staple.

4:11 PM, January 21, 2009  
Blogger James Walsh said...

Greens and beans is one of my favorite combinations for soups and I make these soups quite often. I have never made a black eyed pea variation. I made this one and it turned out just perfect. I thought the paprika added great color and taste to the soup.

12:59 AM, January 23, 2009  
Anonymous Laura said...

Yum! Just made this and it was perfect! I didn't have 2 cups of black-eyed peas so I used a 50-50 mix of black-eyed peas and lima beans -- nice combo! Instead of chipotle powder I used chopped canned chipotle peppers AND a bit of the adobo sauce too. Very good!

5:02 PM, March 15, 2009  
Anonymous Tom said...

I did this recipe but made it in a crockpot overnight - it turned out great.

1:22 PM, December 29, 2009  
Blogger jill said...

Susan,

I accidentally bought le cabanon thinking it was just double strength tomato paste. I noticed that it is 68% hot chilis....do you know what this is or if it would work in this recipe?.BTW, I am cooking paella right now and did split pea earlier today. I ama full time student and and single momandyou recipes freeze well! We eat them throughout the wee, thanks!

Jill

6:24 PM, January 10, 2010  
Blogger Mrs. Harris said...

I made this soup last week for my husband and my siblings. Everyone loved it! Halfway through dinner, my sister-in-law says,"So these are collards? Not bad." It never occurred to us that being from MI she had never eaten collards!

5:25 PM, February 02, 2010  

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