Heat the oil in a large pot. Add the onions, bell pepper and jalapeno. Sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the water, hambone, peas and seasonings and bring to a boil. Meanwhile slice the sausage into 1/2” pieces and brown in a heavy skillet. (If using bacon, cook until just under crisp.) Add the sausage to the peas. Reduce to a simmer and cook one hour, until the peas are creamy and tender. Add additional water if necessary. Adjust seasonings to your taste. May be served over rice as a main course, as a side dish, or thinned with ham stock and served as a soup. Yield: 8 servings

Nutritional Information:
Per Serving: calories 454, calories from fat 200, total fat 22g, saturated fat 7g,
cholesterol 39mg, total carbohydrate 38g, protein 26g.