Three chili, black eyed peas and sausage soup

After coming back from a much needed vacation from a warmer part of the country I needed food to clear my sinuses and spices to wake me up. I love peppers and chilies of all sizes, shapes, color and heat.I used red and green peppers and Anaheim chilies, Poblano chilies and Jalapeno chilies to add varying depths of heat. Jalapeno chilies are hot and slightly bitter almost as bitter as green peppers. Anaheim chilies are mildly spicy and and lemony. Poblano chilies are a little sweet. I soaked black eyed peas in salt water overnight  so as to create the perfect texture, neither mushy nor crunchy.

I never make soup without sautéed carrots and celery. Onions and scallions were also sautéed with the carrots and celery to add their own brand of heat. Hungarian paprika, ready made Cajun spice, and herbs du Provence and fresh parsley were added not because any recipe called for it but by then I was possessed with my own burning desire to experiment. Cooked rice and sautéed sausages went in last to absorb the spicy broth.

As I slurped the soup I thought I saw the Mississippi backwaters  with thick green vegetation hanging low, alligators skimming the surface, and a rich female voice singing the blues from a crackling 1930's gramophone record. My dear friend, Mr. Sweet Potato called it "the soup of his life." Ms. Butterfish recovering from a nasty case of the flu had her sinus cleared  and tongue tickled with a few sips.

Red and Green peppers, Anaheim, poblano and jalapeno peppers

Black Eyed peas soaked in salt water overnight, then washed, and jasmine rice

Sautéed onion, scallions, carrots and celery

Black-eyed peas cooked in low sodium chicken broth. Add the mirepoix next

Sauté peppers and chilies…

… and add this to the broth

A dash of herbs du Provence

Heaps of Hungarian paprika

2tsp of Cajun spice

Cut parsley

Sautéed sausages

Simmer some more…

…and voila!