Mount Vernon’s Cindy Messinger shares her New Year’s Day soup recipe

Ingredients:

1 box frozen collard greens
4 cans black eyed peas (drained and rinsed well)
1 lg. onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup carrot, sliced
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cans chicken broth
8 cups water, divided
hog jowl (2 slices)
salt + pepper

Saute onion and celery in olive oil until tender in a large soup pot.  Add 1 can chicken broth, 2 cups water and 3 cans black eyed peas.  In another pot, fry hog jowls until crisp.  Remove meat and add 6 cups water, 1 can chicken broth, collard greens and sugar.  Simmer 20 minutes.  Add collard greens and black-eyed peas.  Puree 1 can black eyed peas and add to soup to thicken.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Cook 1 hour on simmer.

Notes: Best when made a day ahead.