Florida Vegetable Recipe

Vegetable-6041

Ingredients
2 tablespoons	oil
1	large onion, chopped
1	bell pepper, chopped
1-2	jalapeno peppers, finely minced
10-12 cups	water
	ham bone or ham hock, for seasoning
1 pound	black-eyed peas
2 teaspoons	Creole seasoning
1/2 cup	chopped parsley
2	bay leaves
1 pound	smoked sausage or hot sausage, andouille, bacon, ham, or other smoked pork
	salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preparation
Heat the oil in a large pot. Add the onions, bell pepper and jalapeno. Sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the water, ham bone, peas and seasonings and bring to a boil. Meanwhile slice the sausage into 1/2-inch 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 1 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