Black Eye Pea Soup

3 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup chopped white onion
½ cup chopped celery
¼ cup chopped shallot
4 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
1 pound andouille sausage
½ cup unsalted butter
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 15-ounce cans black-eyed peas
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
fried leek (see recipe, below)

Procedure:

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in onion, celery, shallot and garlic. While this cooks for a minute or two, dice the uncooked sausage. Add half of the sausage to the pot.

In a sauté pan heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Brown the remaining sausage. Once brown, use a paper towel to soak up excess oil in pan; set sausage aside.

Add butter, red pepper flakes and salt and black pepper to taste to the onion mixture in the pot. Let cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

Add black-eyed peas to pot; cook for a couple of minutes. Add chicken stock. Bring to a simmer; reduce heat to low.

Cook for 15 minutes. Stir in cream and hot sauce.

To serve, ladle soup into a bowl and top with fried leek, browned sausage, and cilantro.

Fried Leek

1 leek (sliced onion may be substituted for leek)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ cup cornstarch
canola oil

Procedure:

Cut off green part of leek and peel off the first layer of leaves. Rinse well. Cut leek in half lengthwise; place flat side down and cut into very thin strips. Place leek strips in a bowl of cold water (enough to float leek) and move strips around in water to release any sand. Place leek in a strainer; shake off excess water.
Season drained leek strips with salt and pepper. Place cornstarch in a bowl. Add leek and coat well with cornstarch. Place leek in a fryer* of hot oil until golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to remove leek from fryer; place on paper towels to absorb excess oil. Use fried leek as a garnish for desired dish.
*Using a fryer is suggested. To fry in a frying pan, add 1 inch of canola oil to pan and heat to frying temperature (use a frying thermometer as a guide).

*Makes 6 to 8 servings