Red Peas Soup Recipe

If you're using salted pigtail, ask your butcher to cut it into 2-inch pieces; it can be tough to cut at home. Wash the pieces thoroughly, then place them in a deep pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil.

Cook for 20 minutes, then drain, rinse, and repeat the boiling process with fresh water. This double boil helps to tenderize the pigtail and remove most of the curing salt.

Now, build the soup. Add all the ingredients (except the the flour and potato) to a large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil over high heat. As it heats, you'll see some scum or froth rise to the surface; skim this off and discard it.

Once boiling, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and let it cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the beans are tender and just beginning to break down.

While the soup simmers, prepare the spinner dumplings. In a bowl, combine the flour and water (a pinch of salt is optional) until you have a soft, smooth dough. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.

Pinch off about a tablespoon of dough at a time and roll it between your palms to form a small, cigarette-like shape.

You might notice there's no added salt in the recipe; the residual salt from the pigtails usually seasons the soup sufficiently. Taste the soup and adjust with more salt if needed.

A quick timing recap: The soup base cooks for 1 hour and 15 minutes until the beans are tender, then the potatoes cook for 15 minutes, followed by the dumplings for another 15 minutes. Keep in mind that this soup will thicken considerably as it cools.