YIELD: AROUND 2 POUNDS

INGREDIENTS

•3 tablespoons cooking oil of your choice

•1/2 yellow or white onion, diced small

•1 stalk celery, diced small

•1 small carrot, peeled and diced small

•4 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped

•1/2 cup rinsed, soaked overnight, and drained sea

island red peas or similar small cowpeas 4 cups of

water or vegetable stock +1 cup reserved

•6 sprigs of fresh thyme, removed from their stems

•1 bay leaf

•Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Optional:

Smoked meat or bacon, scallions, chives or parsley

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium sized pot, heat the oil over a medium flame.

2. After 2-3 minutes, add your diced onion, carrot, and celery and stir to coat with the oil. Stir often, cooking down the vegetables until they soften and

the onions begin to become translucent, about 8 minutes.

3. Add garlic and stir for one minute, until fragrant.

4. Add all of the remaining ingredients, including a heavy pinch of salt (about 2-3 teaspoons) and pepper, and stir to incorporate well.

5. Turn the heat up to high and bring ingredients to a boil for 5 minutes.

6. Turn heat down to medium low and cover.

7. Cook until tender or about 45 minutes and season to taste.

8. Remove the bay leaf and carefully blend or push the pea soup through a fine meshed sieve until it is at your desired consistency.

9. Use the reserved liquid if you want it more loose and smooth. Garnish and serve!