Black Eyed Pea & Short Rib Soup

Black Eyed Peas & Short Rib Soup

Printable Recipe

Hands-on time: 15-20 minutes – (plus soak the black-eyed peas overnight in lots of water)
Cooking time: 2-3 hours
Serves 6

Ingredients:
1 cup black-eyed peas ( other options: cattle beans, navy beans)
1 tbsp olive oil
1lb/450g beef short ribs
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
1 parsnip, finely chopped
1 quart vegetable or beef broth
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Soak the split peas overnight in lots of water. Drain and rinse well.

2. Fill a large Dutch oven with water, a bay leaf and a sprig of thyme, add the drained peas and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until they are soft – about 1 hour. Drain and set aside.

3. Using the same Dutch oven, heat the oil over high heat and sear the short ribs on all sides. They are ready to turn when they no longer stick to the bottom of the pot. This keeps the juices from leaking and the meat soft and tender. Once the short ribs are browned, set aside.

4. Lower the heat to medium and add the carrots, onion and parsnip, scraping up the stuck on bits of meat at the bottom, cooking/sweating the vegetables until they are soft and translucent. Return the meat and the peas to the pot and add the broth, thyme, bay leaf and salt and pepper. Cook over low heat for at least 2 hours. The peas should be very soft.

5. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and using an immersion blender, if you have one, puree the soup. I like this soup on the coarse side, so I leave some of the black-eyed peas whole for more texture. That said, I really mash it up when my grandsons are over…they like it velvety smooth. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can use a regular blender or food processor, doing it in batches until you’re happy with the consistency.

6. Return the meat to the soup, heat and serve.