Recipe serves approximately 4-16 oz portions

Ingredients for 4 Servings:

• 1 1/2 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1/4 medium Onion, diced (about 1/4 cup)
• 3/4 cup Tomato Puree
• 3/4 tablespoon Lemon Juice
• 1 cup Black Eye Peas, cooked 
• 1 1/2 cups Water
• 1/4 cup Fennel, diced (1/4" pieces)
• 1 tablespoon Dill, chopped
• A pinch of Sea Salt (adjust to taste)
• 1/16 teaspoon Dried Rosemary (adjust to taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper (adjust to taste)

Procedure for 4 Servings:

• In a large pot, turn on the heat and allow it to warm.
• Add the olive oil and diced onions. Saute for about 5-10 minutes until the onions become golden.
• Stir in the tomato puree and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
• Add lemon juice and spices. Mix well.
• Add about 3/4 cup of the cooked black-eyed peas with their cooking liquid and 1 1/2 cups of water. Cook for 5-10 minutes.
• Stir in the fennel and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
• Puree about 1/4 of the soup until it's chopped, then return it to the pot.
• Check the temperature (should be above 185°F or 85°C).
• Begin to serve the soup into bowls and add the remaining black-eyed peas. This ensures equal distribution of beans in each serving.

Cooking the Black-Eyed Peas:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried Black-Eyed Peas
• 4 cups water
• 1 bay leaf (optional)
• Salt to taste

Instructions:

• Rinse the black-eyed peas.
• Soak them overnight or for at least 4-6 hours if desired.
• Drain and rinse the soaked peas.
• Place the peas in a pot with 4 cups of water. Add a bay leaf if you like. Bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 45 minutes to 1 hour until they're tender but not mushy.
• Drain excess water, remove the bay leaf, and add the cooked black-eyed peas to Black Eyed Pea & Tomato Stew.