Black-Eyed Pea Soup With Cornbread Dumplings

To make soup: Sort & rinse the peas, soak them overnight in water. Drain, then rinse the peas again & place them in a large Dutch oven with water, onions, garlic, & celery adding additional water to cover if necessary. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer until peas & vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes to an hour. Add the tomatoes & tomato paste. Continue to simmer for 15 minutes. Add parsley, salt & pepper. If dumplings are used, they may be added to the soup pot at this point or may be placed in individual serving bowls & the soup ladled over them.

To make the dumplings: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Drop the batter by spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes until browned. This soup freezes well. Dumplings may be frozen separately or in the soup.

Lynn Byers McClellan