Black-Eyed Pea, Smoked Turkey, and Cabbage Soup
Here in Kentucky the air is as cool and crisp as the cotton sheets that wave and snap on the line. Young horses frolic in pastures where the bluegrass contrasts brilliantly with the orange and gold leaves of oak trees. As you drive along a country road dried tobacco leaves, which fall from wagons on their way to the auction, scatter in the wind like remnants of some ancient scroll. These are some of the signs that fall has officially arrived.
The great thing about the autumnal shift is it’s finally soup time. Here’s a nice and hearty one-dish meal to help ease you into the season. Smoked turkey legs (they look like mutants to me when I see them in the stores), are a healthy and tasty substitute for ham hocks and become tender more quickly. They also add a nice smoky flavor to cooked beans or greens. — Susie
Black-Eyed Pea, Smoked Turkey, and Cabbage Soup
Serves 6
6 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 pounds smoked turkey legs (about 2 legs), skin removed
1bay leaf
1 fresh thyme sprig
1large onion, cut into large dice
16 ounces frozen or fresh black-eyed peas
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 pound (about 2 medium) gold-fleshed potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 cups thinly sliced savoy cabbage (about 3/4 pound)
3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
In a large stockpot, bring the broth and 4 cups water to a boil. Score the turkey legs several times and place in the stockpot with bay leaf, thyme, and onion; return to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer 30 minutes, skimming away foam and fat as it rises.
Add the black-eyed peas and simmer an additional 30 minutes. Add the garlic and potatoes and cook 5 minutes. Add the cabbage and parsley; cook 5 to 10 minutes more, until the potatoes are soft and tender.
Remove the turkey legs from the pot. Slice the meat from the bones and chop into pieces; discard bones. Return the turkey to the pot and season the soup to taste with salt and pepper; discard the bay leaf and thyme sprig. Serve soup in large bowls with toasted garlic bread, if desired.
